Izetta: Fall From Grace
by Inceptor57
Summary: World War II ended in 1941 thanks to Izetta's efforts against Germania. However, our reality is that World War II lasted until 1945. Taking place from Episode 10 onward, Izetta finds her fantasy powers are unable to conform with reality and is forced to adapt to the harshest time of humanity, or die. [Rating subject to change. I do not own Izetta:TLW, but I own the OCs]
1. Opening Statement

**Izetta, the Last Witch, gets involved with the human conflict of World War II in 1940.**

 **She saves her lovely Princess** **Finé** **and protects Elystadt from the invading Germanian.**

 **The White Witches' adventure ends in 1940, breaking the back of the Germania army and allowing the Allies to destroy Germania.**

 **Peace is restored to Elystadt and the world.**

 **But our cruel version of World War II lasted 5 more years...**

 **Let us backtrack…**

 **To another time, another circumstance,**

 **To explore the time when:**

 **Izetta fails to protect Elystadt**

 **Sophie remains the Reich's greatest weapon**

 **Sieg did not posses the other half of the fabled Magic Stone**

 **Countries relish in their true identities.**

* * *

 **It was late 1940. Elystadt's capital, Landsbruck, fell in two hours after Izetta was defeated by Germany's newest weapon, Sophie.**

 **Princess** **Finé** **and her followers escaped to a hidden fort in the mountains.**

 **Faced against the overwhelming odds of the Third Reich's military,** **Finé** **was faced with a choice.**

 **To stay in her home country or flee Elystadt and seek sanctuary in Great Britain.**

 **With Izetta injured and powerless due to Sophie's intervention,**

 **Finé** **chose the decision to save what's left of what she held dear.**

 **This story is the continuation of war for Izetta.**

 **And when it all finally ends,**

 **Maybe her initial outcome was the best we could've hoped for her.**


	2. Finé's Decision

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 1: Finé's** **Decision**

 **1940 - Alps Fortress, Elystadt**

Izetta stared blankly at the ceiling. The low hum of the lighting filled the ambiance of the silent fortress.

"The Archduchess was crying... " She said bitterly to herself.

Sudden determination, a call to action, spurred in her. Izetta reached for the wheelchair right besides her. Her legs, numb to her movements, weighed like sandbags as she dragged herself with her arms. Grabbing the armrests of the wheelchair, she attempts to hoist herself onto it.

Her arm, feeble without the ley line magic, crumbled under her as her balance fails, sending her and the wheelchair tumbling over onto the cold, wet ground.

"Izetta!" Bianca called out, hearing her predicament. Sieg followed her and waited along the doorway.

Bianca attempted to help Izetta off the ground. "You're crazy!" She cried out. "If you don't stay in bed, you'll never be able to…"

"I don't care what happens to me!" Izetta blurted out, grabbing Bianca with all her might and throwing herself into her, tears welling up in her eyes. "I made the Archduchess cry! She can't do that! But..." She paused, sobbing. "It's not over yet! I haven't paid her back yet!"

"Izetta…" Bianca said, looking on at the broken girl in her arms. This was Izetta, Elystadt's White Witch, and she was here crying in her arms powerless to protect the very country she vowed to. Something was blurring Bianca's eyes as well. She knew what it was, but made no attempt to hide it. "I'm so sorry, Izetta…" She said, her voice cracking. "There's nothing we can do now…"

As the two girls broke down in the desolate infirmary, Sieg could only look on with a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time. Helplessness.

The diary of Müller family he read detailed everything that supposedly happened at the time of the so-called fairy tale of the Elystadt's White Witch, and the truth of it. How the princess ordered the death of the White Witch, the procedure used, and the following events that led to the White Witch's capture by the Inquisition.

It also detailed specifically about the White Witch's, Sophie's, source of power. The Magic Stone, the stone that allowed Sophie to use magic even in places not covered by the ley lines. It was the key to the success of Sophie's capture. Specific details were given on how this stone, taken from Sophie, broke into two pieces after the staff it was held in was thrown forcibly to the ground.

It was obvious that the White Witch in Germany's possession now has a Magic Stone, one of the halves, in use. The power it showed already encompasses Izetta's natural abilities and there was no known limit on the stone despite being half of its usual size. This half of the stone was laid to rest in the White Witch's grave as a method to hide the power.

But what happened to the second half? Sieg remember reading the journal over and over again. Only one report was made of the stone deep in the Elystadt's royal storage, but it was no longer there. The stone was lost and gone. A method to hide the remaining stone? To prevent the recreation of the complete stone?

No matter the intent, the second half of the fabled Magic Stone was gone. There was no gamble to put on or hopes to ride on anymore. That stone was the only key to stopping the limitless power of Sophie, and it was missing. Sieg cursed his ancestors for this moment. For all their methods to close off loose ends, it had pained their descendants the moment it would be the only key to stopping the White Witch's rampages.

Sieg walked away from the scene of the infirmary, knowing that only one method remained for the survival of Elystadt.

* * *

Finé stared blankly at the wall of her room, food and drink untouched right next to her. She did not notice the tiny footsteps of Lotte approaching her, nor the closing of the door right in front of her.

"Archduchess…" Lotte called out for her in the barren room. "Have just a little more, please. You'll fall sick otherwise."

The sudden concern of her health brought Finé out of her little world. Her maid from the palace in front of her, Lotte, stood in front of her with a very worried face. Her eyes as green as the pastures of the land she relished in Elystadt. "I'm sorry," Finé replied. "I don't want to be selfish at a time like this, but...I really can't eat."

Lotte couldn't bear to watch the bright princess in front of her be drained of any remaining hope she had for her country. Never did she wanted to see this.

Everything was going all wrong, three months ago they were the star of Europe! The hope against the German Third Reich and their insatiable aggression. Now they were just like everyone in the path of Germany's ambitions. Just another country waiting to be chopped apart and become part of their growing body.

And Finé would… the stories they do to captured politicians and royal…

She wanted to beg Finé to leave, escape to another country. Britain, America, even Canada! Away from all this madness that unfolded within the last month. She wiped a tear from her eye as the door to the room was knocked lightly.

No visible reaction came from Finé, Lotte walked over and answered the door. Sieg stood at the other end.

"How is the Archduchess?" Sieg asked, but Lotte's expression told him everything. "Do you mind if I speak with her alone?"

"Okay…" Lotte answered. She walked out and Sieg walked in afterwards, closing the door shut behind him. She looked at the hallways of the fortress, they were dreadfully empty. The draft whistling down the path and water dripping and various places made a terrible noise one wouldn't hear in Elystadt.

A terrible thought came in Lotte's mind. Would this be the last of Elystadt she would see?

* * *

Sieg found a simple wooden chair and dragged it across the floor, making enough noise to stir Finé from her trance. He sat in front of Finé, eyes stern on her as the eye contact stirred her attention.

"Sieg?" Finé came about.

"Archduchess…" Sieg said firmly and clearly. "You must flee from here as soon as possible."

The word 'flee' caught Finé's attention. Her eyes widened as the truth returned to her. "H-How could I…? After everything I've done. My place in this country. My home. How can I just abandon it all just to save my own skin?" She started sobbing, with a face Sieg wish he'd never see. "I know it is within my right to, but all the people here, like you Sieg, I wouldn't be able to take you with me. How can I just leave you all behind?"

"Archduchess… with your survival, the government and existence of Elystadt continues on," Sieg reassured.

"Oh what do I give about the government?" Finé said, breaking down. "Archduchess this, Archduchess that. Is that name really so important? Maybe it'd be better if we became a democracy like in America. Look at them, it worked out fine for them."

"Archduchess…" Sieg said.

"And everything with Izetta! It was all my fault! I sent her out there! I got her hurt! and-"

A loud slap echoed in the room. Sieg had raised his hand on the Archduchess. Her left cheek started to swell red as silence returned to the room.

"Archduchess…" Sieg said, with a tone of regret and sorrow, "I understand your feelings. That is why you must understand ours. If the Germans captured you, we could never live with ourselves even if we survived this war. That's why, please, by the feelings of all the Elystadians who still love you, please flee."

Finé faintly touched her colored cheek. "Sieg…" she said softly. Her eyes were still full of indecision.

Sieg cursed silently to himself, it was the one trump card he hoped to not use. He didn't want to toy with her heart like this, but…

"Izetta… if she was to be captured," Sieg brought up. "Imagine what they would do to her, what their witch would do, if they can get their hands on her. An Elystadian witch… Sophie would have no end in her joy to make her suffer to get to you."

Finé looked at Sieg, acknowledging his words. Izetta… Everything that happened to her now, it wa all because of her actions. The very least Finé could do for Izetta now, is to make sure she was safe.

Finé slowly nodded her head, knowing what she has to do. To her, this wasn't about Elystadt or any remaining determination to defy the Germans. It's about Izetta now, she needs the best care she can get and she can't stay here. There is only one place in the world which would accept them.

"Alright Sieg," Finé finally said. "I understand what I have to do."

Sieg gave a small expression of relief. "Eat up Archduchess, it will be a long ride."

* * *

Izetta was on the bed again. Bianca had put her back once the two had cried their feelings out and took away her wheelchair. The infirmary was a lonely place to be. Steps were approaching down the hallway. _Tip Tap Tip Tap._

The girl came in with her distinctive green dress and flowing blonde hair.

"Archduchess…" Izetta said first before realizing. "Archduchess!"

"Izetta," Finé came over to her bed. Izetta struggled to get up. "No, no! Please stay down Izetta…"

"I can't do that, Archduchess! I can't let you cry again!"

"Izetta…"

"I'll fight them for you, Archduchess! I'll get every single one of them out of your country! I-"

"Izetta!" Finé yelled out to her friend. Izetta only looked back at Finé's eyes. The pure red eyes of her staring into hers, pleading to be sent out again. Finé's purple eyes also looked back, with a pleading to stop, end her lust to fulfill her wishes. "Izetta… it's over."

Izetta's eyes widen on these words. "Huh?"

"I've made a decision, Izetta. We're going away for some time. We're going to leave for Britain. I'm going to make contact with Lord Redford for help. Once I do, we have to move before the Germans find us."

"Archduchess? Please… I can still fight."

"Izetta, look at you!" Finé raised her voice. "You can't walk, let alone stand. The White Witch has free reign on where she fights…"

"That's why I can't just sit here and run!"

"Izetta, please!" Finé cried out, sobbing. Tears were now running, the droplets landing on Izetta's face. "Izetta… I don't want you to get hurt anymore. Please… let it go. Let it go and just come with me, let's leave this nightmare behind us…"

"Archduchess…"

"I don't know how else to do this without you…" Finé said softly. "Please, give me strength… I need you with me for this…"

Izetta found herself consoling the crying Archduchess.

"My witch…"

Finé sobbed in Izetta's lap as Izetta lightly stroked her hair. The two girls, mentally worn out and lost in this world, had just enough of this. Maybe it was all just a terrible nightmare that they had to wake up from. Izetta looked at the Archduchess. She felt like a failure to the overall effort of the war against Germany. Everything she did and everyone she fought, was it all for nothing?

No, it wasn't. Her eyes staring down at the Archduchess on her lap, she leaned in and whispered. "Archduchess… I'd follow you to the ends of the world…"

As the two emptied their feelings to each other, Sieg and Bianca stood idly outside the door. Both were still conflicted about this, but both had realized that nothing they can do now would salvage the situation at hand. The Archduchess and Izetta had to leave if the hope of the Elystadian was to live on.

"I'll go prepare a secure connection to Britain," Sieg said.

"Sieg," Bianca said. "What do you plan to do?"

"Not everyone in this bunker can go along with the Archduchess, Bianca. But as long as she leaves here in one piece, we can always look to tomorrow with hope."

Bianca gritted her teeth. The loyal staff members of the Archduchess, willing to put their lives at stake like that. Why couldn't everyone just come along? She knew the reasons, but it pained her to see old friends be left behind just like that.

"Please Bianca, protect them on the way for us. Can you do that?" Sieg asked of Bianca.

"Of course Sieg," Bianca said, "who do you think you're talking to?"

Sieg simply made a small smile of relief as he walked down the empty, humming hallway.

* * *

 **Welcome to my second Fan Fic! This time it's on the anime series: "Izetta: The Last Witch"**

 **My motivation to write this fic is because... honestly, I was a bit disappointed with the show. It was good by all means, great in some part, as presented that I'm taking the time to write a fic. But the changing mood of the series from dark gritty WWII in the first three episodes, relationship building in episodes four to eight, and the magic shit storm in nine to twelve, didn't sit well with me. I couldn't get the grasp on one of the selling point of a "magic witch in World War II". I'd imagine more of a line of "Hey, we got this magic witch in WWII, how can we beat the crap out of the Nazis?"**

 **This fic will take place from Episode 10 onward, as presented in this small alternate recap of the same episode. Episodes 11 and 12 didn't happen.**

 **Also, I got rid of the renaming of the countries. If this is going to be a World War II fic, well by god am I going to use the real country names! The only exception is Elystadt existing as an independent country in the West Austria region.**

 **Anyways, hope you'll stick along with me for the ride. This story sounds like it's going to be a lot longer than my first one. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Escape From Elystadt

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 2: Escape from Elystadt**

Night fell upon Europe. The moon, mere days to its full shape, shined down glistening the dew that started to form on the grass blades. In the mountains, wildlife chirped about, unhindered from the war that has descended upon the continent.

A cadre moved through the dense foliage. A young, blond officer with a bandage over his left eye lead the way, his senses and instinct attuned despite the injury. Behind him was a dark, brooding man with a machine pistol in hand, watching for threats. Behind the two leads was a strong headed and loyal girl, looking back once every while to her VIP.

Archduchess Finé marched behind Bianca, putting on a more practical Elystadian utility uniform rather than her green royal dress. The time for fanciness was over, and she needed a less conspicuous uniform for her trip. The smaller clothing was also needed to comfortably carry her friend on her back.

Izetta, her wounds bandaged up under her traditional red dress, clinged onto Finé's back as she carried her through the forest. She resisted the idea, but Finé insisted. Not that she could've resisted anyways, her legs were still immobile from her encounter with Sophie.

Behind the Archduchess and her witch, a young maid followed, making sure Izetta doesn't fall off towards a hard landing. Next to her was Elviria, trying to keep up with the rest. At the rear, a group of royal guards, soldiers, and royal staffs followed, staying by the Archduchess' side until the end. The royal guard's white uniform contrasted with the environment, but they would use it to distract the enemy if it meant the Archduchess could make it to safety.

Their destination was deeper in the forest, past the fortress and was made only recently with the advent of technology and transportation.

Gunfire cracked and echoed in the distance, the group froze as they heard the sound escalate to explosions.

"We have to go," Sieg urged the group onward.

Izetta looked on the distance with misery. A large group of what's left of the Elystadian soldiers volunteered to be left behind, acting as a barrier against the advancing German army for the royals to escape. Now they were fighting, against odds knowing that they can't win.

If she wasn't in her state now… she could've been down there, helping them. Now they are just thrown against the Germans as Elystadt's last line of defense.

"There's no ley lines here, Izetta. You couldn't have helped even if you could move."

"Sieg!" Finé chided. Izetta sulked as she felt her usefulness plummet like an anchor. Finé wanted to say a word of comfort or encouragement to her, but all would fall flat on the consideration that they were in the middle of an escape.

Lotte, also wearing more casual clothes than her maid outfit, tried her best to keep a bright face when they looked at her, but the whole group was tense, as if a miasma had fallen upon them. The poor girl was frightened, not at the darkness, but their prospect. So many undecided future laid before her, what could happen now?

"I don't like this at all, Sieg…" Bianca said as she brushed across the foliage. "Why tonight? The moonlight can expose us…"

"The British said it had to be tonight, or we'd lose our chance," Sieg said. "Besides, the Germans are closing in. We're running out of time."

Bianca didn't say another word, only hoping that what they were doing was for the best outcome.

"We shouldn't be too far from it now, hurry!" Sieg said.

The words encouraged her followers, they picked up the pace. The hill slope slowed them, sapped their strength, but they pushed on to make sure their Archduchess makes it out safe.

The slope flattened out gradually, and the density of the trees in the forest lowered. In the moonlight, the tree trunks gave way to a clearing, a large area spaced out in the middle of the forest in the Alps. An area made clear with large concrete ground and structures.

Finé examined the facility. A small airport, recently built, on the mountains. Constructed near the fortress, it was undoubtedly meant for the situation she was in now. Finé remembered a time when her father mentioned having a "surprise" for her young daughter when she was ready to take the throne. She felt a tear form when in the distance, she could make out the royal Elystadian flag waving on top of a hangar. Izetta could feel Finé's turbulent emotion building up as she rested on her back.

"Elystadt is landlocked in Europe, so leaving by sea is out of the option. Land is too dangerous with the situation now." Seig said to Finé as they waited for everyone else to catch up. "The only way you'll have a chance at getting out is by air."

"By air…" Finé repeated. As she analyzed the scenario, Several royal guard members started towards the base, moving as if rehearsed towards the building.

"The British are going to open the way for us towards the South. You'll be heading towards Greece to the British forces stationed there. From there, you'll travel to the British territory in Egypt, where you'll make the final travel to Britain."

"All that… Sieg, what about Izetta's condition?" Finé asked of her friend.

"The doctor said she'll be stable enough to move around as long as her wound doesn't reopen. She should make the journey." Sieg said. "I already contacted the British about her condition. They said they would have medical professionals ready when they receive you."

Finé looked at Sieg understandably, "Alright then…" She said quietly.

"Archduchess…" Izetta said softly from behind her. Finé looked back to see Izetta. "Don't worry about me, I'm sure we can make it!" Izetta said with a cheerful voice and smile.

Finé couldn't help but smile back, Lotte as well as she saw this.

"Alright then," Finé said. "Let's go."

She walked out onto the airfield, the concrete seemed stronger on her legs with Izetta's weight on her back. Now that Finé thought about it, for a girl so young, she weighed quite a bit. She used her next thought to push that down and hoped that Izetta didn't have a mind-reading magic that she never told her.

The royal guards who made their way forward already were at work. They opened the various hangar doors and showed the aircraft inside. There were two Elystadian fighter plane, which was the French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, imported into Elystadt and adopted a few years ago before the possibility of war ever arose.

In the largest hangar, a tri-engined aircraft was revealed as the doors opened.

A Junkers Ju 52 German transport aircraft.

How ironic.

While Finé thought about how familiar she was with its internals, Bianca was more than exasperated.

"Are you kidding me? A German plane?! What if the Archduchess gets shot off the sky!?"

"I already have the British aware of what type of aircraft the Archduchess is coming in with. This is our only transport aircraft available, Bianca," Sieg explained. "Plus, with a German plane, the Axis may mistaken the aircraft for their side."

Bianca was really uneasy with this.

"In the worst case scenario of an interception, two fighters will help guide the transport to its destination."

"Thank you, Sieg," Finé said. "Bianca! Everyone! Let's go!"

"R-right!" Lotte agreed.

Bianca didn't say a word as The Archduchess moved forward. Everyone else in the group followed and Bianca simply tagged along. For all her roles, she felt rather unimportant now. A signal of the falling demise of Elystadt and the Archduchess' power over it? Bianca tried her best to save face and continue her role to protect the Archduchess.

Finé went into the Ju 52, looking around the interior as two of the royal guard members were at the cockpit. Moving in the aircraft, she set Izetta down onto a seat. Izetta tried her best to hide her groans of pain as her body was manipulated by Finé.

Bianca got in and saw Finé trying to make a bed of a sort on the floor for Izetta. Bianca helped, grabbing some tarp hanging by the side.

Lotte and Elviria entered. Seeing the other girls working hard to take care of Izetta, they tried their best to chip in. In a matter of minutes, Lotte and Bianca helped Izetta to the rather crude bed in the middle, but it gave her a better resting position than sitting up.

Other staff members and royal guards entered the transport aircraft. There wasn't enough room for everyone who came along. It was no secret, the soldiers and royal guard members that followed knew a good amount of them will be left behind after the journey. This was no Dunkirk for them.

Finé stood by the entrance, watching each person entering. She counted down, sorrowfully, as possible space for another individual decreased with each one. Space suddenly went from a sight to a premium in the aircraft, and Finé insisted one more come in until she realized that the last space was for her.

Her departure at hand, she looked at the crowd of her soldiers, her royal guards, and those who would not have the luxury of leaving this hell. "Sieg?" Finé said in a surprise as she saw him standing among the crowd. She left the aircraft, with some of the occupants looking out, afraid that perhaps she would stay behind to let one more soul leave.

Sieg seemed to have smile, even if it was a faint one, as he saw Finé walk up to him with a face pleading that this wasn't true. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Someone has to stay behind and run the country," Sieg explained. "Even if you are safe, the people still need someone to help them."

"Sieg…" Finé repeated the name as though it would be the last time it rolled off her tongue.

"Don't worry about me, Archduchess. I won't let your wishes end in ashes."

Finé looked at Sieg, then embraced him. Sieg was always a shady character, but he had always been there since her father held the throne. To Finé, Sieg was not just another staff member, but a loyal member of the Elystadian royal family. His help was the reason why in the first few months of the turbulent war, Elystadt was able to stand as it is. For a short time in their moment, Sieg didn't think about anything else in his future, only wishing to see his Archduchess fly off into the night to safety.

"Now go, Archduchess. We're running out of time." Sieg finally said.

Finé released her grasp, wiping a tear away from her eye. She looked at the crowd once more. Royal guards, many of them spent their life serving her, yet she didn't even know most of their names. The soldiers, who fought so hard against an impossible odd, yet were the reason along with Izetta on why Elystadt stood against the mighty Third Reich for so long. They all had a long journey, and it was nearing an end for them.

"Archduchess," a voice said in the crowd. Finé looked over and saw the blonde officer with the bandaged eye. Hans, an officer who fought since the first outbreak of war in Elystadt, spoke to her. "We hope you have a safe journey. We can take care of ourselves."

Finé looked at the weary young man. In another life, another time, maybe he could've carried on with a different lifestyle with a family. Everyone in the hangar was the same. Was there anything else she could've done? Could a peaceful surrender have stopped the suffering months ago? These questions popped into her heads, even if she knew the answers.

"Now go, Archduchess," Sieg said to her. Finé looked towards Sieg. She reluctantly nodded in agreement. She turned around and headed back to the plane. Finé reached the doorway before looking back one more time. Everyone looked towards her, as if she was their shining symbol of hope. Finé couldn't just leave them like that.

Finé huffed in whatever confidence she had left. "Everyone, please wait! I'll be back! Elystadt will never be one with the German empire!" She said tearfully towards the crowd. The reaction was soft, but Finé didn't stay long and went into the plane. The door closed behind her as she entered, sealing shut. As Finé moved on the crowded plane towards a seat close to Izetta, the crew began their departure by taxiing the plane out to the runway. Outside the windows of the plane, the M.S.406 fighters were already moving out to the runway.

The lights inside the Ju 52 dimmed. The departure was certain, and Finé looked back at the men and women she had to leave behind. Astoundingly, as Finé left, the troops on the ground saluted, giving her their undevoted loyalty to her cause.

Finé could no longer bear to look out, tears built up inside her as the sound of aircraft engines outside revved up as the planes made their take-off. The Junker Ju 52 accelerated forwards, the noise drowning out the sound of Finé's sobs as Elviria tried to comfort her. Izetta, on the floor, could do nothing but lie there as she watch the scene unfold. The air got uneasy and soon the plane was airborne, making its way to an uncertain future.

Bianca's only thought after their take off was hoping that the British knew what they were doing.

The flight carried out with the longest and heaviest hours the passengers ever felt. Every ticking minute, someone worries that the Axis forces may have spotted them, as they flew straight over Italian air space towards the direction southeast. However, all that way, there was no response from the enemy. The Elystadian cargo continued flying, anxious, but still on course.

Finé was still heartbroken about the event back at the airport. Elviria sat by her giving her comforting words, with Bianca sitting nearby on what little space was available. Izetta was still in the bed, unable to move. Lotte tended to Izetta to the best of her abilities, there wasn't much available on the plane to do anything. The other passengers nervously stared out the fuselage windows, looking for possible German or Italian planes about to intercept them. Soon, they reached the ocean, the Mediterranean sea. Finally away from the land mass, the passengers felt more relieved, but cautious.

"Looks like the British were right about the flying condition…" Bianca said, apologetic to doubting Sieg's strategy back in Elystadt.

Finé didn't respond. However, she moved forwards the Izetta, who lied there staring.

"Archduchess…" Izetta called out for her as she approached.

Finé smiled with sadness, "I don't think I'm an Archduchess anymore, Izetta."

"But to me, you're always my Archduchess…" Izetta said, "I think anyone back home would think so too, no matter what."

Finé's smile turned from one of façade sadness to a hint of happiness, a feeling she hasn't felt much of since Landsbruck fell. "I know, Izetta." She replied to Izetta's claim. "But from here on forward, I'm only an Archduchess by heritage now."

'Archduchess…."

"You can call me by my name from now on, Izetta. It's alright." Finé said towards her witch, who seemed to be blushing.

Izetta was quite hesitant at the words. Her face was bewildered by Finé's words. Izetta mustered whatever strength she had inside to say her words. "…Archduchess… Finé…"

Finé laughed softly. "Just 'Finé' is fine," she said, stroking Izetta's chin softly as if encouraging her to continue. Lotte looked at this scene and distanced herself from the two.

Izetta looked like she was at a breaking point, "….Finé."

"That's good, Izetta," Finé replied. "C'mon."

"Finé… Finé…" Izetta said, tears starting to form up. Finé thought maybe she was perhaps teasing her too hard and tried to shush her, but she began crying. "I'm sorry… that I couldn't be more helpful."

"No, no, no, Izetta," Finé reassured the distraught witch, "You did great, Izetta. You did great."

Finé consoled Izetta as Bianca and Elviria looked on. "Our little Archduchess has become a mature woman, hmm?" Elvira said.

"She'll have to be strong now, for all of us. That's a tough thing to put on her…" Bianca said, though the same could be said for herself.

"It's hard to imagine that she was just a child years ago. It only feels like yesterday when she comes to my classes."

Bianca simply patted Elviria on her shoulders, "We did good, Elviria. Right?"

Elvira smiled her usual grin as the plane made its journey.

"Look at that!"

"Hmm?!" Bianca reacted. A royal guard member was looking out a window on the right side. Bianca looked out, assuming the worst. However, in the distance, flickers of what seems to be fire glowed in the darkness of the night. It came from the Italian territory. Suddenly, the lack of enemy response became clear.

"Opening the way for us, huh?" Bianca said to herself. The unseen destruction at the distance must've been catastrophic enough take the attention of the entire Italian air force and naval force. Whatever the British did, it must've been quite daring.

Lotte saw everyone's sudden interest towards the right side of the aircraft. Seeing how no one seemed to take it with fear and rather with astoundment, she believed their prospect was becoming much better.

* * *

 **On the night of 11 November 1940, the British navy conducted the first ever naval attack that only used aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy attacked the harbor of Taranto, crippling half of Italy's capital ships with obsolete Fairey Swordfish biplanes carrying torpedoes.**

 **The confusion and chaos allowed three aircraft to slip by Italy's northern air defenses unnoticed.**


	4. Witch's Crossroads

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 3: Witch's Crossroads**

The Elystadian aircraft continued to cruise through the darkness. They had flown for hours to reach their destination, the only ambient light that showed was the moon shining down on the sea. Life seemed absent outside at this height, though the same could not be the same inside the aircraft. Dim lights shone down onto the passengers, giving them some bearing of their neighbor.

A turbulence rumbled the aircraft, shaking Archduchess Finé and her fellow countrymen and women. Finé stirred as the disturbance woke her, blinking her eyes to adjust in the night and giving a soft yawn. She looked down and saw her witch, Izetta, had fell asleep on her lap during their time together on the floor. She looked at her witch, asleep, and saw there were no sense of pain or distress, the two emotions she saw in Izetta's face since they left the fortress. In her sleep, she looked peaceful, with the world's problem slipping away from this young girl's face. She was only 15, yet she had faced some of the worst the world had to offer to her.

Finé smiled as she saw this one pure side of Izetta, and decided to prod her cheek a bit with a finger. With a few seconds of poking, Izetta then stirred. Finé pulled her hand back, but Izetta continued to wake.

"Hmmm?" Izetta muttered in a daze, giving a puppy yawn as she fumbled about. She opened her eyes and saw Finé looking down on her. "Oh… Archduchess…" Izetta said embarrassingly.

"How did you sleep, Izetta?" Finé asked the sleepy witch.

"It's okay." She smiled back at her Archduchess. An awkward silence filled the space as the two stared, broke off, then stared again. "I'm going to be able to walk again, right?"

"Of course you will, Izetta," Finé responded, keeping any uncertainty deep within herself.

"If I could only tap into the ley lines, I could heal faster," Izetta said as she reached out with an arm, as if gripping a nonexistent object.

"We have to get to safety first. It's not instantaneous after all, is it?"

"No…" Izetta said, her voice trailing off.

"It's okay, Izetta," Finé consoled her friend once more. "You're still useful. Lord Redford and the British Prime Minister knows just how important you are, they'll help you get up to shape as soon as possible!"

"Y-yeah, I hope," Izetta sported a small smile. A comforting smile, one weary but full of hope still.

"Not to mention the United States will be sending help soon," Finé continued. "Sooner or later they'll help us bring this horrible war to an end."

"Sooner or later…" Izetta lingered around that phrase. "It has to be sooner, Archduchess. Once I get better, I'll do everything in my power to get back Elystadt!"

"I know you will, Izetta. But one things at a time. Your recovery comes first." Finé said, putting her hand on Izetta's forehead to check for any ill symptoms, though her head seemed to get a little warmer from the contact.

"Archduchess," Bianca called from behind.

"Yes, Bianca?" Finé responded.

"We're approaching Greece, we should be landing shortly."

Finé let out a long sigh of relief. "Alright," Finé said. The worst was over. From this point on, they were in Allied territory. "Thank you, Bianca."

Bianca nodded in acknowledgement before returning to her duties managing the royal guards. What's left of it, that is.

The darkness prevented any visual on the ground for references and landmarks, but up ahead, a brightly lit airfield seemed to be anticipating their arrival. A breach in wartime light discipline for risk of aerial attacks, but it was a must to get the precious cargo to land safely. The Ju 52 descended for a straight landing, and the entire plane buckled around as the landing gear contacted the landing strip. Making its full landing, the pilots drove out of the runway to let the two M.S. 406 escorts land as well, and in haste as the fuel tanks were running low.

The Junker Ju 52 landed solidly on the airfield. Finé looked out the windows along with Bianca and saw soldiers standing at formation outside the landed aircraft. Bianca and some of the royal guards looked at them cautiously. Among the crowd, she could see a man with a rather frizzy haircut in a well-dressed blue uniform, though rugged-looking to show its utility purposes over its presentation. Finé presumed that this man was a British officer after seeing a few during her trip to Britain. There were also a duo of a man and woman present with the red cross on them, giving Finé some relief that her requests were heard.

The door of the Junkers opened, Bianca stepping out first before Finé. The British officer approached the two ladies as they stepped out.

"Archduchess Ortfiné Fredericka von Eylstadt?" The officer addressed by Finé's whole title.

"Yes, that's me," Finé affirmed her identity.

The British officer gave a warm welcome smile as he saluted. "Flight Lieutenant Matthew Jones. On behalf of his majesty, we're glad you're safe with us. I've been ordered to get you on the next plane headed to Egypt."

Everything was still going out as planned. "I've got as many as I could out with me, will you take them all with us?" Finé asked Jones, in a tone fitted like a royal commanding a knight, but the feeling was lost amidst the ambient noises of the airfield.

Lieutenant Jones took a glance at the passengers in the plane. "Yeah, maybe we could fit them all on my plane. But you are our top priority Archduchess." Jones said, "Don't worry; you're all in safe hands now."

"She'd better," Bianca offhandedly said next to Finé. The officer simply chuckled from that statement.

"Well, get everyone off that plane and onto the tarmac, I'll go get the plane ready. Though I was told there was an injured passenger?"

"Yes, she'll need a stretcher."

"Alright," Jones said, then pointed towards the two medic that Finé saw earlier. They didn't give names or rank on their uniforms, just the fact that they were medical professionals of some sort. "Got a wounded in there, get her out ASAP!"

"Yes sir!" The two replied loudly, gathering their equipment, along with a stretcher laying out.

"Thank you!"

"Don't mention it," Jones simply said. "I'll go get started on my aircraft then…"

As Jones turned around and attended to his business, Finé turned around towards the Junker, excited to deliver the good news to her anxious passengers. "Everyone! We're all safe now. We'll need to take another plane to our destination so please disembark."

The interior buzzed with the excited tones of their arrival. Some cries of joy, breaths of relief, and outright cheering came about as the significance of the news sit in. The passenger began filing out the single door on the plane

Finé went over towards her friend still lying on the bed. "Izetta, we're finally here. We're safe now."

"That's… great, Archduchss," Izetta said with pain and discomfort. She didn't feel well again.

"Archduchess!" Bianca cried from outside the door. She came in along with the medics with a stretcher. Laying it next to Izetta, they prepared to move her.

"Alright, one…two…" They counted down before lifting Izetta.

"Gah!" She let out a cry of pain from the movement as she was transferred from the crude bed. As the medics helped carry Izetta out the plane, Finé and Lotte followed them. Once everyone was out, the pilots themselves exited the Junker.

The medics set Izetta down concrete along with the rest of the Elystadians. Finé rushed to her side, keeping an eye on her friend as the medics examine her.

"Heavy trauma injury on the lower abdomen and leg… miss, did you fall from a building or something?" The male medic asked.

"Ah… more or less…" Izetta said in half-truth. Finé noted how the medics either did not acknowledge the much-public information of Izetta's defeat. That or they simply did not know about her being, but with all the propaganda spilling about, that sounded less likely.

"Well, the injury at the time is severe, but it looks to be healing slowly."

"Hmm?" Izetta took curiosity to that statement.

"Is there a problem?" The female medic asked.

"N-no, it's nothing."

The male medic turned towards Finé, "I'm afraid there's nothing we can really do at this point. We'll have to transport her to a hospital once we reach Britain."

"Alright… Anything to help her get better."

The two medics went off to their other duties. The Elystadians now alone, Izetta checked her connection with the ley lines, holding out her palm as she let the ley lines manifest. It grew large, just like the times when her powers were the strongest. "Archduchess, look!" She cried out, showing her the ley line manifestation that had formed on her hand.

Finé looked at the sign, her face becoming one of surprise and happiness. "Izetta! That's great!"

"So you can heal faster?" Bianca asked.

Izetta nodded. With what ley lines were flowing in the area, Izetta concentrated the power in healing her injuries. The same source that allowed her to live a healthy life is tapped to make her return to that state. It's not instantaneous, but it's better than staying bedridden in a slower state of recovery.

Just as the sun began to break the night, about an hour after they landed, a twin-engine plane was taxied out into the open and slowly approached the Elystadians.

The Elystadians never seen this certain aircraft before, but it was one of Britain's finer ones. The Harrow was a British aircraft accepted for the role of bomber-transport for the Royal Air Force. First flying in late 1936 then accepted into service in 1937, it was one of Britain's more dependable bomber aircraft of the early stages of World War II. This specific model is being used in a transport role to deliver the Elystadian survivors to their next destination.

The Harrow came to a complete stop as a door opened to its fuselage. The British medics have also returned, with all their equipment they need on the go. Jones appeared from the Harrow and made his way down back onto the airfield pavement. Over his blue uniform, he's now got on a yellow lifejacket strapped over his vest and neck, as well as a brown helmet that seemed to mesh onto his head, some flight goggles hanging over it. "Alright, whenever you are all ready, let's go!"

"Izetta first!" Finé ordered as the medics followed up and lifted Izetta first. They carried her onto the plane first, with Finé following, then the rest of the crowd followed through.

As they were boarding, two more aircraft came out onto the runway.

"Fighter aircraft?" Bianca presumed.

"Looks like Spitfires," Finé said while tending to Izetta with the medics. "Hopefully, they won't have to be used on this trip just like the previous one."

"Everyone onboard?" Jones asked around while looking outside as well. He repeated this several times before announcing, "Alright, we'll be taking off fairly shortly. Brace yourselves!"

With all the passengers on board, Jones walked back into the cockpit, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

As he took his seat, his co-pilot was there, maintaining the instruments for take-off. Seeing the pilot return, he gestured something towards him.

"Sir, it's high command," he said, handing him the receiver for the radio.

Jones sighed as he took up the radio, listening to the reception. "Yes sir, the target is onboard. Hmm? Ah, Red Velvet is with her as well." He listened intently, "Sir, I'll do my part. What the military police do is none of my business."

Jones puts the radio away and prepared for take-off. It was too late in the night, or too early in the morning, to deal with military bureaucracy.

* * *

The second air trip after their landing at Greece was less tense. In the Allied territory, there was less worries of being intercepted by German or Italian aircraft. The flight to Egypt with Jones was a rather smooth one as well, a straight path from the airfield to the desert.

Finé continued to attend to Izetta, who is using any opportunity to tap into the ley lines to apply its powers to her healing. Gradually, she feels her legs becoming refreshed. The medics have taken notice to this effect as well. Being beyond their own expertise, they had elected to ignore it and leave that part of the healing process at hands better suited for it.

Witch's hands, that is.

The trip from Greece to Egypt, relatively short, presented little problem before the flight of three landed in broad daylight. They had little reception on their arrival, having to be obscured from any possible spies. As soon as they landed, the occupants of the Harrow were hurriedly transported to the ports, with little time to rest from time of landing to being loaded onto truck beds. The Elystadians and the two British medics with them were hurried off the plane, they didn't even have the time to say proper farewells to Jones as he watched them go, with only a simple salute given to Finé when she made eye contact.

Military installations, outposts, and many vital bloodlines for a proper offensive or defensive operation were on high alert during their times there. There was a sense of weariness in some of the British soldiers there, judging by the words that could be heard over the sound of engine rumbling and through the canvas covering the truck bed.

"Everyone's very worried about their stance against Germany…" Izetta muttered softly to herself as she was propped up on a seat. Her healing had helped ease the pain on her abdomen. Though her legs were still numb to the core, she could be moved more comfortably. The medics help attended to her needs if they are required to, but the truck movement at the moment are restricting their actions.

She checked her connection to the ley lines. It was weak. The map of the ley lines under the White Witch's castle never extended all the way to Egypt. It had never been a worry because they'd never thought they would be involved with Egypt. Izetta sighed as she let the tiny ley line manifestation disappear. She was back to a normal, human, healing.

A large bump and sputter and the truck that the Elystadian royals were came to a stop. The driver could be heard, slamming the metal door of the truck shut as he walked over to back. He opened up the canvas, "We're here, let's go!"

"Let's move," Bianca said to Finé.

Finé nodded in agreement. She saw the medics were reaching to help Izetta. "No, no, it's alright. I can do it," Finé said to the two, who then made way for her. She picked up Izetta and carried her out in her arms. Izetta blushed as she realized her position could be interpreted as something quite… intimate.

However, in the mess that was the ports, there was little time to even think. Vehicles ranging from cars to trucks to tracked vehicles raced on the road so packed that an officer had to step in to let the Elystadians pass. Each building present was either a barrack or a headquarter, with large clusters of soldiers and officers chattering among themselves over cards or maps. As the British soldiers were concerned with their war, the Elystadians were hustled onto a ship present at the docks. The ship was expelling troops and equipment onto the docks, with machinery and ramps laid out for the process. The ship of the Royal Navy was larger than anything Finé had seen. Though for Izetta, the encounter with the Drachenfels a few months back had left her rather impassive to the ship compared to the other ladies.

"This is going to take us all the way to Britain?" Bianca eyed the thing suspiciously. She cannot believe this thing could hide under the German noses.

"It's our only chance, Bianca." Yet Finé seemed to also look nervously at the huge bulk of steel.

"Troop transport," the male medic next to Finé said. "We're using it to carry wounded on the way back home. You'll be safe among them, the German U-boats and Italian navy wouldn't bother sinking a ship protected under international laws."

"So they have a medical facility on board?" Finé asked.

"Yes, we can tend to your friend's injury there."

"Say, I never got you and the other's name."

"Hmm? Oh, you can just call me Daniel, that's fine." The man said, smiling as though he's grateful that the young lady in front of him is asking for his identity, one that could've just been forgotten to the pages of history. "The girl is my aide, Emma."

"It's nice to know you two. Thank you for all of your help" Finé gave Daniel a smile, one that Izetta hasn't seen since they were all back in Landsbruck, before the German's final assault.

"As to you, Archduchess, and it's my pleasure. Now let's get you and your friends onboard and get out of this blasted place."

* * *

Travel by sea was long and arduous. Despite the red cross now flying as the symbol of the ship, the very risk of being attacked by some unforgiving, rogue, or arrogant Axis pilot or naval officer was still stressful. The voyage was long, about a month and a half through the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, meaning the stacking of the stress everyday makes for a very nervous crew and passenger. It would be 1941 before Finé, Izetta, and the rest of the Elystadians made it to the relative safety of Britain.

Finé and Izetta determined the voyage time was to be well spent. In the month, Izetta focused on healing, whenever she could tap into the ley lines, and physical therapy when unable to.

With the vast ocean horizon, one could lose count of the day or time of the year it is without someone keeping track on a calendar. That's why on one day when Izetta and Finé were on the deck, the day looked as any same as the last few on board. Wounded British soldiers muttered about, those that couldn't walk on crutches or wheelchairs, being tended by nurses or smoking over the deck watching the sea waves roll by.

"It's okay, Izetta. One step at a time…" Finé directed Izetta's legs as she tried to walk for the first time in two months. Propping her body on the rails on the deck, her legs felt like metal poles, rigid and unresponsive. She was practically dragging her legs and calling it "walking".

The two were wearing new clothes since the boarding of the ship. Finé had been given one of the few medical uniforms available, the only ones on the ship she could fit in, else she just might take up a spare British military uniform. Izetta was wearing a bland white patient gown that covered a respectable portion of her body. Only a few weeks into the voyage, the medics, Emma and Daniel, deemed Izetta in proper state for the start of physical therapy, thanks to Izetta's own innate healing and the boost from the ley lines.

Izetta felt the muscles in her thigh fold and stretch as she tried to move her right leg. She manages to lift it and move it forwards with great difficulty, however setting the foot down caused a stinging static and she buckled under the loss of feeling.

"Whoa!" Daniel and Emma, staying with Izetta throughout her recovery, reached in and caught her before she could plant herself on the ship's deck.

"Are you okay, Izetta?" Finé asked as the two doctors brought her up to a supported standing position near the railings.

"I-I'm fine!" Izetta insisted, "I can take a few more hours of this!"

"Don't push yourself," Emma said. "Recovery isn't going to do you any good if you beat yourself up doing it."

"I've been lying on a bed for too long!" Izetta cried out. "I'm not going to get any better resting around!"

"Take it easy. Recovery doesn't happen instantaneously," Daniel tried to talk sense into Izetta. In his eye, the persistent girl wanted too much for her own good.

"Izetta…" Finé said, getting into eye contact with her witch. Izetta took a moment and as the two continued staring, before Izetta turned away slightly, blushing. "Izetta, I want you to get better, but I don't want you to rush it. Bringing the war to an end is important, but it can't be done if you keep hurting yourself as you are now."

"Archduchess…" Izetta seemed to absorb these words. After a moment of hesitation, she continued to struggle in her efforts. "I know… but, everyone who dies in this war now is another one I couldn't save because of my condition. I can't let anyone else down!"

Izetta got up, as a hard stubborn girl, and with her arms hanging onto the railing. Her forehead began to dew up sweat from the strain she is putting on her legs. She took a step, two step, then her legs failed again. Unable to catch her this time before the fall, she could only yelp and hold her arms in front of her before landing with a smack.

"Izetta!" Finé yelled in concern as she reached in first to get Izetta up.

"Ow, ow."

"I think that's enough for the day, miss," Daniel said.

"Ugh…" Izetta let out a defeated whimper as Emma and Izetta got her up on their shoulders.

"It's alright, Izetta. You made good progress today, especially for the first day."

"It's not enough…"

"It will, soon. You'll be walking normally before the month is over!"

* * *

"How did your first physical therapy go, Lady Izetta?" Lotte asked as she prepared a small bowl of some basic dinner nutrient taken from the mess. It was nightmarish in comparison to the food served in Landsbruck, but they were a long way from there.

Izetta pouted away under the little bedsheets she has on her bed, second from the bottom. The royal staff of Elystadt managed to secure themselves a private room away from the standard troop quarters and infirmary. The room was tiny, abiding by the standards of naval design, if the five people the room could accommodate all stood in what little space was provided, it would be a very crowded metal cube.

"C'mon Lady Izetta, you have to eat something." Lotte sent in a spoon towards Izetta's direction.

As she did, the steel doors of the room clanged open as the mechanical hinges creaked. Bianca walked in, looking rather shaken.

"Is something wrong Lady Bianca?" Lotte asked with concern as Bianca wearily looked at the young maid.

Bianca was wearing a surplus medical uniform like her Archduchess as a change of clothes. Though they tried to remove any indication of being licensed medical practitioners, they've been mistaken as such by pain-delusioned soldiers. Most of the wounded asked for help in transporting them from one place to another, others were looking for consoling from eye-candy nurses, to which Bianca was unprepared for.

But their mumbling of events at home was what she found most unnerving.

"They were talking about Britain being bombed…" Bianca muttered, to which Lotte and Izetta took notice on Bianca's shaken tone. "Just like Landsbruck, but throughout London… and not just one night… About everyday, they said."

"Bianca?"

"Oh gosh, what if we're heading straight into a German trap?"

"Lady Bianca, we'll be fine," Lotte attempted to snap Bianca out of her fear-driven mumbling. "If the British can operate on the scale we saw in Egypt, they must still be standing strong!"

Bianca let out a long sigh before she let her fingers release from the still-open door. She dragged herself to her bed, opposite from Izetta's side, and crawled in face-down. Lotte noted that this was one of the few times she saw Bianca in such a defeated state. Never before did Bianca look so… exhausted, so drained of her purpose. Lotte worried about the integrity of the Elystadians on this boat with almost a full month left to go to get the British isles.

"Hello Lotte!" Finé came in with a personality contrasting Bianca's. "Hello Izetta! How're you?"

"Good," Izetta said, turning around towards the room's center as Finé tried to find the right steps to make the most of the limited space.

"A lot of the soldiers were worried about you y'know? They asked me to make sure you were properly rested so you can recover faster."

"Really?" Izetta expressed surprise at the compassion shown.

"Many knew you from the stories that were told about your deeds in Europe against Germany. I guess it's hard to hide the 'White Witch of Elystadt' among her fans."

"F-fans? Oh please, Archduchess…" Izetta blushed as she tried to cover herself under the bedsheets. Lotte looked on with a little annoyance as it stopped her from feeding Izetta.

"Of course, everyone tries to keep it low key because they saw your condition. But... Are you eating, Izetta? Here, Lotte give me that bowl."

"Ah, Archduchess…you don't have to..." Izetta flustered as she saw Finé take the food bowl from Lotte's hands.

"You don't have to call me Archduchess anymore, remember? Just 'Finé' is fine."

"But it's embarrassing…"

Finé let out a small chuckle. Sometimes she can't help it, Izetta was both cool and cute, like a cuddly dragon. "Well, I'm fine with either one you choose, Izetta. Here, open wide." She extends in a spoon half-filled with food from the bowl towards Izetta's mouth. She reluctantly chewed on it, taking the content inside.

"You're going to be safe once we reach Britain, right?"

"We'll both be, Izetta. We'll all be safe," Finé reassured her witch and everyone in the room. As the two interact, Lotte was happy that Finé was back to her usual, charmful, proactive self. The core of Elystadt's future has not broken.

* * *

The time pass as the transport traveled from Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and from there towards Britain. Crosses fill a calendar dates before it was replaced with a new one - 1941.

Yet the horizon didn't seem to change, it was just ocean after ocean. Sure, there were a few escort ships there present, and other convoys passing by, but there were no signs of land anywhere else around.

The choices of activities were limited on the ship. With so little to do, Izetta focused all her efforts in recovery. She checks ley lines constantly, on the occasion the ship may pass by a flow. By the hour she checks, then tapping into it whenever she could. When she wasn't in contact, she focused on her therapy. She started walking with difficulty on the rails, then she could walk slowly, but balanced. By the month's end, she could walk by herself, though her legs were still fatigued and can't support itself very long.

"How do you feel, Izetta?" Finé asked as she does everyday, staying next to Izetta as she walked around the deck.

"It still stings…" Izetta says as she put her foot down, then another. "But, it's a lot better than when we started."

"That's right. See? You're doing great."

"Yeah… I am." She said smiling back to Finé with long-lost pride, proud to be back. "Soon, I can help fight again!"

"Oh Izetta…" Finé sounded heartbroken by that statement. "Why don't you just stay in Britain with me? You don't have to fight… I don't… " Finé trailed off into her own thoughts. "I don't want to risk losing you again…"

"Archduchess…" Izetta hears the pain in Finé's voice, but…

"Land!"

"Huh?" Izetta and Finé turned towards blissful cries off the port side of the ship. A small crowd had gathered looking off to the horizon. Land, the land of Britain. Some of the wounded men gathered had tears, happy to be back from the hell they've been through.

"So we're here…" Izetta said, the duo making their way to look at the horizon everyone was eager for.

Finé hugged Izetta, the Archduchess' tender hands touching the witch's body as Izetta felt Finé getting into close contact. "You can just stay with me… Stay in the residence or whatever the Prime Minister will provide… I can just go to the meetings with the other governments-in-exile, attend to the war. You can just rest easy Izetta, you did your part…"

"Archduchess… You know I can't do that," Izetta said softly as Finé's face got closer to her's.

"I know you won't…" Finé said, "But it's nice to fantasize sometimes...right?"

"A-Archduchess… I think…" Izetta became flustered as she felt Finé's breath on her.

"Excuse me, Archduchess? Lady Izetta?" Lotte came up, startling the two as they shot up straight.

"Ahaha! Yes? Lotte?" Finé reacted first as Izetta got her mind straight.

"Since we're about to land soon, perhaps we should have Izetta change out of the gown?" Lotte said rather innocently, unaware of the different face color the two ladies have.

"Yes, yes, I think we should…" Finé still tried to recover. "Let's go Izetta…"

"Uh, yes…" Izetta said as Finé walked with her down to their room.

* * *

By the time the Elystadian royals came up, the offloading had already started. Those that could walk got themselves off through the ramps. Those that couldn't were carried off on a platform by crane or were helped off.

Izetta and Finé, along with the rest of the Elystadians; Lotte, Bianca, Elivera, and much more, waited in the crowd as the passengers all shuffled out the few narrow passages off the ship.

Finé and Izetta were wearing the clothes they brought from Elystadt, hand-washed by Lotte to the best of her capabilities on the ship. Finé was wearing the standard blue Elystadian military utility uniform, a rather bland clothes for a royal, but one that reflects well on Finé's current status and her personality. Izetta wore her casual red dress that she wore since her time in Elystadt, a comfortable flowing dress with an unique design dyed of crimson and black. The style showed a rather mystical property, an archaic design revisited, a color palette of importance and power. All these fitted with Izetta's status as the White Witch of Elystadt.

"Can you walk okay, Izetta?" Finé continued to voice her concern.

"I'm fine… Archduchess…" Izetta winced as she tried to walked forward, trying to prove her words. Her legs still wobbled, but showed great recovery compared to when they left Elystadt.

"Lord Redford said that his associates would be the first to receive us," Finé said, giving the group a general plan once they got off. "Let me do the talking."

"Yes, Archduchess," Bianca acknowledged.

Finé stepped out onto the disembarking ramp ahead of the group, watching back a few times as Izetta took a few careful downward steps off the boat. At the same time, Finé scanned the port below. The port was just as busy as the one she remembered from Egypt, the change being the British shore weather of clouds and wind as the salty sea flowed in the air. Beyond the machinery and vehicles operating on this wharf, she could see the buildings and residence of the people of Britain.

Finé then examined closer to their drop-off location for anything that looked out of place or just plain unusual. She saw what she was looking for, a car that did not look too out of place from those developed in Germany. However, this one had a sharper edged and rectangular doors, not like the rounded body of a Porsche car. Three men were gathered outside it, one was smoking idly as another put away a lighter he just used, but the last seemed to be analyzing towards her direction. All had a red rimmed peaked cap with white belts over the standard brown British military uniform. Finé eyed them with curiosity, were these the men Redford mentioned?

As the bunch stepped down closer to land, the men were suddenly moving, towards them. _It must be them_ , Finé thought as she noticed them get closer. Traffic parted way as they saw them walk forwards, vehicles abruptly halting as they marched forwards without flinching. All three were young men, not out of their 20s, though one seemed to be in the later years than the other two.

"Are you Archduchess Finé?" The older one asked with a rushed tone, indicating his grasp in authority. His voice spoke of power and had a brute tense, barraging past any other noise present."

"Y-Yes I am," Finé said, taken back by such a rash behavior.

"And you are?" Bianca asked, attempting to mimic the man's voice, but to little avail as he ignores the two ladies and headed towards… Izetta.

"And you are Izetta, the witch?"

"H-Huh? Uh, y-yes?" Izetta nervously said, suddenly feeling afraid by this man.

He suddenly pointed at Izetta, and with a voice suddenly charged.

"You're under arrest!"

"What?!"

"Wait!" Finé threw herself in between Izetta and the man. "What are you talking about?!"

"That women had committed an offense against our king and country. She's been charged!"

"On what offenses?!"

"Assisting an enemy, obstructing operations, disclosing information, and disgraceful conduct! To name a few," The man shouted a list, "and should we add 'resisting arrest' to that list too?"

"No…!" Finé cried out, looking back and forth at this man and Izetta, who looks shock-stricken. No one could believe what was happening! "Wait! You're military police, right?! You have no jurisdiction on civilian!"

"Tell that to the judge, lady." The man said, producing a paper. A paper with bolded titles that came to Finé's eyes first. An arrest warrant by the British military courts, for Izetta. "She's coming with us!"

Izetta, in disbelief, tried to back up, away from this scary man, away from this scary place. One, two steps before she felt a grab on her back. Two men with red berets were behind her. Finé saw them, and recognize them as simple passengers on the same ship they were on all the way here.

 _They've been planning this all along?!_

"Take her away!"

"Wait! There must've been a mistake!" Finé protested, but these men, the royal military police, were having none of it. Izetta, fearful for her life, attempted to break out of the two men's constricting grip. She tried to draw whatever power was in the area. Life, ley lines, anything.

There was none in the area. Nothing to help her. Izetta, with her legs feeble and arms restrained, could only squirm as the other two associates with the commanding officer secured her with cuffs and with a tight grip, started carrying her towards the car.

"Izetta!" Finé ran towards her witch before anyone's notice, but was restrained by the lead police officer by just an arm.

"Finé!" Finé heard Izetta cry back as she was dragged off, one of the man opened the back doors of their car.

"Izetta!" Tears swelled in Finé's eyes.

"Finé!" Izetta let out one more cry before the door shut on her.

"Izetta!"


	5. Glasshouse

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 4: Glasshouse**

 **January 1941 - London, England**

Lord Redford took a puff from his pipe in his office, sitting on one of the meeting chairs present. The arrangement of the chairs, two singles and one sofa around a coffee table, were all vacant except for his. He knew she was arriving, but the arrangement a few weeks ago made it so that this meeting was going to be a very interesting one, and not one in his favor of the pathos.

"Lord Redford, sir?" One of his fellow aide said as he opened the office door. "The Archduchess of Elystadt is here to see you."

 _Well, here it goes_. "Yes, yes, please bring her up here," Redford said feigning his boisterous tone as he took one last puff, his aide closing the double doors to attend to the guests. He extinguished the flame and put his pipe aside. He stood up and looked at the closed door, anxious at the meeting. The Archduchess was quite an unpredictable girl, and now she just might be even more irrational.

The door swung open as the aide opened, but it almost seemed like the blonde woman pushed the aide into it.

"Archduchess Ortfiné, it's a plea-"

"Cut the crap, Redford, what happened out there?!" Finé stomped up close to Lord Redford. Her sights imposing and demanding of an answer. She was petite, but her personality and steadfastness almost took Redford out of his bold stance.

"I assure you there is a-"

"What? An explanation? The MP were waiting for us to land before they moved in. It's been planned since we got to Egypt!"

"Ortfiné, please, you must understand that this wasn't without hard decisions."

"So you do admit that Izetta's arrest was premeditated. What will be next? Elystadt to be crushed while you hold me here? When the Germans came for me in Switzerland, I gave you and every Englishmen the benefit of the doubt because the deed would have been done by the middleman. But I'd never imagine that my own allies would do this!"

"Ortfiné Fredericka von Eylstadt, please. I will explain the situation, but I need you to calm down." Redford placed his hands on Finé's shoulders, trying to sooth her back into sense.

"I am calm."

"I'm sure you are. Come, sit down."

Redford motioned Finé and she moved towards the chairs, though she never stopped glaring at him. If looks could kill…

The aide, having waited for the commotion to die down inside, came in backwards as he carried a tray with a typical tea time meal for two. He set it down on the coffee table.

"Thank you," Redford said to his aide, who returned the gratitude with a nod as he started filling the cups with tea. The cups were given out to the two. Finé had some reservations about it before she took a sip. Redford took his time with it, taking a large gulp instead, buying time for his explanation to formulate. He let out a small gasp as he finished drinking and put the cup and plate down. "There has been… many events since Landsbruck fell, Archduchess Finé. I'm sure you've heard of the bombings we're being subjected under by the German Luftwaffe right now."

"I heard from your troops on the ship. It seems news travel fast." Finé said, clinking her cup onto her plate. "I guess from that I shouldn't be too surprised that Izetta's presence on the ship would've been broadcasted far back to your home."

"Yes. These days, the top brass in the Prime Minister's war ministry are all on their toes. We're cornered alone on this continent, Archduchess Finé, it's our most desperate hour."

"What about the Americans? Didn't they say they would send us aid?" Finé remembered the demonstration she and Izetta demonstrated to their representative. Surely that may be enough?

"The Americans are stuck with a stiff upper lip to this situation," Redford said. "Their political situation is still fragile. Their people do not want to fight, but the president does. He's bounded by the people's will and so they're not coming into this fight."

"But without them, our chances against Germany will be slim! You are already being pummeled away to submission!"

"They know that as much as we do, Archduchess Finé. They've demonized the attitude they took with us in the Great War. They want to stay neutral. However, last I've heard, their president is trying to draw up a proposal to give us equipment without their full involvement."

"If you're short of manpower… What about Izetta? She showed you her worth when we took down the Drachenfels months ago. She could help you! Why lock her up?!"

"That can be answered in two parts, Archduchess Finé," Redford said as he balled his fists together with this elbows resting on the chair's arms rest. Here comes the heavy hitters. "The first one from the bombings, Archduchess. The one leading the first assault waves into London is the new witch the Germans have."

"The White Witch…"

"Sophie, yes." Redford let the name swirl in Finé's head. "During the opening stages of the Blitz, she led the Luftwaffe bombers to their target with her bombs, the blast points create enough smoke signals to signify where to drop the bombs. Her power has also been able to contest the RAF. Although, we haven't seen her since they switched to the night bombing campaign, the damages she has done showed what power the Germans now have."

"If they have the witch, then why aren't the heads considering Izetta as a counter?"

"That's the second part, Finé…" Redford said. He sighed as he prepared for it, "I'm sorry to say that your demonstration a few months ago, has fell flat now. The top military brass and politicians have absolutely no faith in Izetta's abilities anymore."

"Wha-?" The words had indeed hit Finé hard. "Why not? She's the only one who could've done in the German's technology like the Drachenfels!"

"It came to their heads from the time Landsbruck fell." Redford said coldly, blunting Finé's rebuttal. "On that day, Izetta was defeated by Sophie. The news has spread far and wide, Finé. The people are scared now. The shining White Witch of Elystadt was defeated by the White Witch of Germany. Strung up and displayed to the world what a humiliating defeat it was. The Germans proved that your unbeatable witch, is in fact beatable."

Finé almost bit her lips shut. So the news had spread far and wide indeed…

"The people's faith and hope in Izetta are dashed…" Redford sorrowfully took up his cup of tea again. "And then someone had a thought."

"A thought?" Finé wanted a clarification.

"A thought…" Redford took a small sip. "A crazy thought, but a thought that became an idea. An idea that Izetta, the White Witch, had provided the Germans intel that allowed them to create their witch and sent her to attack our homeland.

Finé got up from her chair in rage! "That is preposterous!"

"Yes it is!" Redford raised his voice to keep up with Finé's. Losing his composure now would only make this worse. "But it all came to head only a few weeks ago when they've obtained evidence."

"Evidence?! From whom?"

"It was from a defecting German scientist who managed to cross the English Channel from the Netherlands. He brought along a briefcase detailing the Nazi's occult programs with the witches, as well as their scientific breakthroughs. They've been studying your country's legend for quite some time, Archduchess."

"Defecting German scientist, huh?" Finé said with a rare voice of scorn. "Who?"

"The intelligence group won't say. Security."

"This is all just some fear-mongering witch hunt that's happening right now, Lord Redford, and you know it." Finé's words was coming out of clenched teeth. "Izetta's innocent! If anyone would've leaked the information, they wanted a political advantage. Of the two of us, the only one who had any political chance with the Nazis now would've been me! Me, leaking the information! She had nothing to do with this all."

"Careful Archduchess, those words could kill." Redford did not like how Finé's attitude had turned from the worse. She hadn't reacted like this even when the Germans barged into their opera stand back then. "Izetta is a perfect scapegoat for the top powers and they are milking it for all its worth. A mysterious girl who just pops out from nowhere into your staff as a witch and she could level the German army and navy, why wouldn't anyone be suspicious?"

Finé scoffed to that remark. No one knew Izetta more than her.

"You're very lucky that you yourself was not indicted as well with your friend."

"She's more than a friend, Redford." Finé wanted to make that real clear. "I don't care what the others think of me, but she is innocent, and I'm going to help her get out of there."

"The court-martial's trial won't be set until everything here is clear…" Redford said. "The bombings you see. She'll be detained until it lets up."

Then Finé approached him. Now with her stance and his position, she was indeed empowering over him. "Where is she?"

* * *

"Arrrrgghhhhh!"

The scream echoed off the dank walls of the compound. Followed by more beating as the guards deal with a rowdy prisoner the only way they knew how to. Their batons out, pacifying the antagonizing inmate.

But his cries went out all over the halls. Men of various ages held for offenses against the military, ranging from drunk behavior to desertion. All men trained to serve their king and country, now behind bars as they await trial or for their sentence, could hear his cries.

This was no place for a child, and yet one was popped into a cell of her own.

She clasped her hands on her ears, trying to isolate the incessant screams of the place. Hour by hour, a beating occurred somewhere. By provocation or not, it didn't matter; to the military provost, the military personnel in charge of custody roles. To them, everyone here was a criminal unless proven innocent, because otherwise, why would they be behind bars?

A passing guard then rattle his baton on the metal bars on window of the large steel doors holding each prisoner. It created a sound like ten high-pitch xylophones, loud enough to wake any poor sap from a sleep-deprived slumber.

Yet in all that, she never got an explanation on why she was there. She had no idea where she was. She had no idea why the world was doing this to her, what did she do to deserve this?

She was lost, cold, hungry, tired, and miserable.

The cry came out once more as she clenched her head once more. She could feel her fingers digging into her head, but she didn't care. Just make the noises stop! She sobbed as she tried to lock out the noise, but in her head, the noise gnawed on her senses.

Silence came and then she could hear herself sobbing, tears running down her cheek onto the steel bed she laid on. The only warmth she had was a single cotton blanket, and its fuzzy feel was already beginning to feel damp.

"Is she here?" A hazy voice spoke outside, muffled by her senses and the blanket.

"Yes, she's here. Our only female prisoner."

"I want to see her."

"Ma'am? We don't do-"

A flap of paper. "I have orders from your superior, now let me in."

"...right away, ma'am."

She listened to sounds that suddenly became sweet. A bright jingling noise, then a click. Then an irritating _CREEAAAAKK_ as the derelict cell door opened. She looked out, longing for that freedom of outside her cell. Outside the thick door were two guards, bracing for any escape attempt by the inmate. However, there was someone else inside. The person had her head and body cloaked by a long green piece of fabric. Only her face was visible, but that was all it needed.

"...Archduchess…?"

"Izetta? Oh god…"

"Archduchess… it's you...," Her tears, still stained on her face, seem to glister a bit as she looked up, letting the light reflect off her. She found strength inside her to get up, reaching for her friend. She felt her warm arms and hands embrace her.

"Izetta…" Archduchess Finé said in a soothing voice. One like a silk blanket in a midst of sharp metal. "What did they do to you?"

"I was so scared…" Izetta tried to say it out, but her words choked with her tears.

"Shh, shh, it's okay…" Finé soothed Izetta. "It's okay… I'm here now…"

Izetta cried as Finé let her rest on her shoulder. Finé looked at Izetta's condition while she sobbed. Her body was draped by a striped uniform, one slightly too large for even her. Though her body showed no signs of bruising from abuse, it shivered and shaked as the senses were overloaded and a touch on the flesh felt like ice.

"Gaaaaaaahhhh!"

Izetta flinched as a scream echoed outside.

"My god, Izetta, did they do anything to you?"

Izetta sniffed as she looked at Finé. Happiness, relief, sadness, worry, fear, confused, all these emotions swirled in Izetta's face as she gazed at Finé. "N-No… not really. Not yet…" Izetta said softly and with a shudder in her voice.

"Oh, you poor girl," Finé brought her in again. Izetta was just a child.

"Archduchess… where am I?" The little witch asked nervously so.

"You're in Aldershot right now. The place doesn't have a formal name, but the staff here has been calling it the 'Glasshouse'."

"How far am I away from you…?'"

Finé looked at Izetta heartbroken as she thought about it quickly. "It was more than a hour drive to here…"

"Oh gosh…"

They stay within each other's arms and shoulders as Izeta moaned again. Finé kept her close until she could hear Izetta's heartbeats become calm."I'm going to get you out of here Izetta."

Her heartbeat seemed to skip a beat. "Archduchess… what are you-?"

"They can't keep you in here, Izetta. This is all a misunderstanding. I'll get you out here, and prove your innocence."

"Archduchess, don't!" Izetta blurted out, to which Finé took with a stun. "I don't want you to get involved with this. I don't want you to get in trouble too!"

"Izetta! You're not in trouble, I can assure you that!" Finé wanted to save her, just like back then… "These people just don't any better… I'll show them, I'll show them you're innocent. Someone will help us Izetta, you don't have to fight this alone."

"Archduchess…" Izetta's voice cracked. "T-Thank you… Archduchess…" her tears flowed once more.

Finé held her once more until she cried herself to a longing sleep.

* * *

The correctional officer carefully closed the rusty metallic door as the Archduchess walked out. She continued staring into cell through the small view port, watching the redhead doze in a peace she's been neglected from.

"Who is the prison warden here, sir?" Finé asked the guard as he finished locking the cell.

"That would be Major Henry Lavforth, ma'am," the officer said with bluntness.

"I would like to meet with him."

"He's in a meeting right now ma'am, he's going to be busy for a while."

"I can wait."

The officer looked at the teenage girl in front of him. For her age, she wields a lot of authority, yet at the same time she acknowledges that her position was not one that would earn respect instantly. "Well, I'll bring it up. But I can't promise you'll meet him today."

"I'll wait as long as I need to, kind sir, but I want to talk to him."

* * *

Finé waited as patiently as she could in a lounge room for the guards, to which she drew a strange eyes from those curious about her presence, the few who asked who she was became wide-eyed on why such an important person was doing here.

Some had tried to make her comfortable. Out of chivalry? Finé gratefully took a warm cup of tea a guard on break gave her, but not before she noted that the black-painted baton hanging from his belt with scratches and dents gouging deep enough to show the wood material.

Hours passed. Finé knew how she was going to explain to Bianca on her absence, but that lady was sure to throw a fit when she returned to London.

Soon, the door opened with a guard, one in a uniform more refined than the others that have come, looking around the room. "Umm, Miss Ortfiné?"

Finé stood up, "I'm here."

"Please, ma'am. Major Lavforth will receive you now."

Finé sighed a breath of relief as she followed the man out of the room. Compared to the rest of the facility, the room felt like a different world. The walls of the facility elsewhere were moist and has signs of deterioration, a building built from lackluster standards and has taken a "make do" attitude to the architecture and quality.

But soon, the two were out of the "Glasshouse" prison. The main administrative building was outside, away from the man-made dungeon and in a more modest building made with a design not out of place in London.

A few doors in, Finé and this guard in front of her were in front of one just like any other. The guard said, "A moment please," and knocked the door before entering. A small pause.

The guard reopened the door, holding it open for Finé to enter.

"Ah! Archduchess Finé, it's an honor to be in your presence." The man inside the room said from behind his desk.

"And you must be the warden here, Henry Lavforth?"

The man chuckled as he heard his name. Major Henry Lavforth was a middle-aged man of little presence with his combed brunette hair and uniform with medals and badges hanging on a side. A shining note on his uniform was an embroidered gold image of a crown on the blouse. "Please, sit down, miss."

Finé took one of the two seats present in front of the desk.

"You've caused quite a commotion, Archduchess. Rumors spread quickly among my men, and then there was that phone call from Lord Redford himself." The major let out a small chuckle again. "Quite a surprise to hear from the higher-ups just telling me to meet with you, what was that about?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Finé said, reiterating the purpose of her presence.

"Well, Archduchess Finé. You've made your intent strong and clear to me." The man smiled as he sat down on his leather chair on the other end. He had a smirk pasted on his face, seemingly intrigued at the head-strong woman in front of him. "What can I do for you, though? What business does an Archduchess have here?"

"I have a friend incarcerated here in your prison," Finé said, to which Major Lavforth listened intently. "And I've had a look in your prison here, Major. I must say that I'm pretty sure everyone in your command and the people responsible under your jurisdiction are in some of the most miserable conditions on this land."

The major laughed, shaking his head as he does so. "Oh Archduchess, I understand what you mean. The place is a dump, yet we're assigned here to keep watch over the crown's unloyal subjects." He let his awkward burst sideline before continuing. "I think I know who you're referring to."

"Her name is Izetta, she was put here yesterday by the military police on false charges."

"Archduchess, you know I can't do a thing about what charges are put out if I didn't do it."

"I know you can't, but I do not want her to rot away here as the people who put her here hope she will. I'm here to request that my friend be put into a room of higher standards. If possible, I'd rather she be moved to a female-only facility as well."

The major listened to her request and sighed as he rested his head onto his hand while leaning on his chair. "I'm afraid those two will be impossible or are far-fetched. The situation here is already chaotic as is. The place was made to house a hundred and fifty inmates, we're already somewhere in the two hundreds now, Archduchess. Room is a premium. In relative speaking, your friend is in a mansion with that solitary room in comparison to the everyone else. Besides, do you want someone else to share a room with her?"

"N-no!" Finé said. She didn't realize the situation here was that poor.

"There's no isolated space for females either, we're a military prison. As you may notice, the staff are all from the military provost and we've been expecting only soldiers who could join the forces. That leaves little room for females in our jurisdiction. Even I'm stretched thin on what I can do here, Archduchess. I'm already giving your friend here more than she could have, you just have to accept that this is the new standards."

"No, not alright," Finé was insistent. "Why can't you just move her to a female facility? Surely there must be some nearby."

"That is not in my responsibility, Archduchess. I take in the prisoners and hold them. If you want to talk about transfers, you'd have to talk with my superiors. Frankly, though, if she's under the jurisdiction of the military, its unlikely she's heading to a female incarceration center. We've got our own set of protocols."

Finé thought about the situation at hand and altered the deal, "If she can't move, I want to make her more comfortable here. I want items like pillows, blankets, fresh clothes, and books provided to her."

"Archduchess…" The major took on a tone that showed he needed to take the reins back. "That is impossible. We simply do not have the resources."

"If you don't have it, I will provide it then," Finé said once more, to which the major's eyes went wide. "I'll pay for it all to be sent to her."

"Now hold on, Archduchess, before you do anything rash, you must understand this. If the prisoners see one inmate getting the special treatment than the others, the situation will be chaotic. Riots could break out over their own comparative treatment."

"In that case, major," Finé looked at him with the same resolute. "I'll provide it for everyone here then."

The major became stunned again as he slumped into his seat, whereas Finé's looks has not changed. Henry regained his composure, and got up leaning on his desk. "Archduchess… what you are doing is an unprecedented move, none of us know how it would impact our business here…"

Finé never stopped her unwavering gaze, but privately braced herself for the upcoming rejection. Then the major smiled, "but, I will happily accept your… gratuitous donation towards our facility."

A release of emotion almost spilled from Finé, but she kept it bottled in at the last minute, making sure her position was solidified before any celebration. "Thank you, Major."

"You may just call me Henry, Archduchess," the major said with a smile, like new found energy swirling inside as is Finé. "I'll talk to my superiors of this offer tonight, see if I can get this approved. It should, if the military doesn't have to spend anything on it, they're sure to back it. I hope to contact you again in the near future for the arrangement of items you will send. There'll be a lot more happy people in this place, y'know?"

"I'm sure there will be, Henry," Finé smiled back, feeling a warmth inside her that she hasn't felt since she's landed. It was a real fuzzy and funny feeling.

* * *

 **Edit: Military personnel stationed in prison guard roles are not Military Police, but part of the Military Provost Staff Corps.**


	6. Hope and Shakespeare

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 5: Hope and Shakespeare**

 **January 1941**

"Archduchess Finé, you know it's not appropriate to ask so much from me…"

"Just put it on a tab, Lord Redford. I can pay for it later," Finé was in Redford's office again, making the final arrangements for the relief supplies to be sent.

Redford chuckled at Finé's steadfast attitude, "But with who knows how long this war will last. The interest rates will rise as the years pass."

"More reason for me to help you beat the Germans faster," Finé said without missing a beat. "I just need a loan, okay? Compared to the government's spending so far, it's minuscule next to the defense."

A knock sounded on the door, then Redford's aide walked in, "Sir, a man from the judicial department is here to see you."

"Yes, send him in please," Redford said as the aide nodded and left.

"Is he the one?" Finé asked.

"I asked for their best representative," Redford reassured Finé, "but I can't make promises."

Soon enough, the door opened up again to reveal a rather young man, not past his mid-20s. He was in a dark-brown suit of the Royal Army, his uniform showing an administrator role rather than utility with its fine condition. He has a cap with red berm in his right arm, a folder of documents in his left. His hair was very short, a buzz cut.

"Ah, welcome sir!" Redford said in a jovial tone to this man. "How are you this fine day?"

"Very good sir, and you?" The man showed a bright smile as he shook Redford's hand. For his features, he had a rather deep voice.

"Yes, I'm doing fine. May I know who you are?"

"Lieutenant Jean Neilder, military defense attorney," the man said with a hint of pride in his voice for his occupation.

"I see, and you understand why you are here?"

"Yes sir, I'm here to represent, uh, Izetta in court?"

"That would be it," Finé said. The lieutenant looked towards Finé curiously.

"I apologize miss, and you are?"

"Archduchess Ortfiné Fredericka von Eylstadt, though just Finé is fine."

Neilder seemed to go wide-eyed with her identity. "Forgive me, Archduchess… I haven't heard that you were so young."

"I get that a lot. So you're here to help Izetta?"

"I sure hope so, else I'm not so sure why I am here" Neilder said as he went and took a seat on the meeting chairs present in the room. "I can help her as much as you can help me help you two."

"If it'll help her case, I'll do anything in my power," Finé said.

"Excellent. Now let me have a look here…" Neilder looked through the folders he had. He looked curiously at a section. "Does Izetta have a surname?"

"No," Finé bluntly replied, though she privately wondered why it was so.

"I see. Well, Archduchess. I've read through her charges here and…" Neilder sighed as he folded the documents and faced the Archduchess, "these are some serious charges."

"How serious?" Finé asked as she sat down across Jean.

"We're talking life sentences, at the minimum," Neilder said, pausing before the alternative, "I'm afraid some of them might even be elevated to the capital punishment at this time and age."

Capital punishment. The death sentence. The words shocked Finé more so than even attack on Landsbruck.

"Pretty much any of these activities involving assisting the enemy can be interpreted as that, Archduchess," Neilder continued. "We're in a time of war, you see. Acts of espionage will not be seen lightly in the courts, especially considering that this information is contributing to the bombings that we're under right now."

But Finé was at a lost. Izetta, with the death sentence? That cannot be!

"There has to be a way…" Finé said to herself, with Neilder looking at her with sympathy. "What evidence is being laid on her right now?"

"We won't know for sure until the arraignment and hearings," Neilder explained to the shaken Finé. He looked towards her, "Archduchess, the trials won't begin until we are certain the bombings have stopped. That means we have plenty of time to gather evidence to support her case."

"She's innocent though," Finé said. "I'm sure of it."

"Well, whatever they got, it's apparent that there is a disagreement," Neilder said. "Rest assured, however, that we'll get to the bottom of this."

* * *

 **Late January, 1941**

Though the walls haven't changed, the interior of the glasshouse is looking more lively. The first shipment came in a few days ago; the content mundane, yet a blessing to the occupants of the glasshouse. Blankets and pillows, in shortages due to the war effort, were now plentiful inside the prison walls. The steel beds no longer felt as cold as they did before.

There was a tinier, less conspicuous package sent to one person in the prison. After a thorough inspection by the guards, it was sent to its recipient.

The door opened with the same creak as it always does, the girl inside flinching as it opens with the eerie sound. A young blonde man came in with a box. "Packages for you, miss." He simply said before placing them on the ground then turning around and leaving, closing the door.

Izetta approached the content on the ground of her cell, taking the box into her hands as she carried it back to the bed. She stared, unable to fathom that this box in front of her was the first contact with the outside world since the Archduchess came to visit. She felt very lonely…

Izetta opened the top of the box and looked inside. A wool blanket was on top, and Izetta stared at the pristine-looking material. How something so common can look so valuable! She took it into her arms and hugged the warmth out of it. _Archduchess…_ Izetta thought as she felt warmer than she had in the month.

She placed the blanket gingerly on the bed as she looked through the box. A pillow was second and she placed that on the bed. Next was a set of clothings, still prison-striped with the white and black that was already on Izetta, but it was custom-made for her size, and it fitted with her stature more so than the male ones. Izetta wanted to change into it as soon as she could, but the box wasn't empty yet.

She reached in once more to find a surprising content. Books. Literature were compiled on the very bottom of box. Copies of various books as she read through the titles. Some were titles she's never heard of in her life or in the Elystadt libraries despite being in English. Most were authored by some man named "Shakespeare", and the text was in an old English that was fortunately translated on the other side of the page. She put them aside and realized the box was now empty.

The happiness started to fade as Izetta suddenly felt alone again in the dull prison. She only sighed as she fell back to her bed, now with a warmer blanket and pillow to break the cold metal feel on her cheeks.

"Oh Archduchess…" Izetta muttered, "What will become of me?"

* * *

Neilder was checking the testimonies he received so far from the Archduchess regarding Izetta in his office at the administrator building for the Judge Advocate General's department. He hasn't even seen his client yet, a product of the situation in London due to the German aggression. Until then, his sources right now was the Archduchess of Elystadt. She had proven quite cooperative, detailing each bit about Izetta from how how they met to their time in Elystadt. How they met in the onset of war, what Izetta had done for Elystadt, it all made for a fascinating tale if it was not for the court-martial.

A knock on his office door came in. Neilder glanced his watch before saying, "Come in." The door opened and revealed Archduchess Finé, slightly out of breath in her iconic green dress.

"Sorry I'm late," Finé said to Neilder. "The Americans are still not budging from their position…"

"I'm afraid that topic is not related to the one we're about to have, Archduchess," Neilder said. "So let's cut to the chase before time slips between our fingers. Please, sit down"

Finé took the moment to catch her breath before sitting across Neilder's desk. "Yes, let's."

The two talked. Neilder asked questions on Izetta and Finé answered without haste. However, when it came to questions regarding the charges, Finé remained blank.

"I'm not sure," were some of Finé's responses.

"So you aren't sure if Izetta even did anything to incite these charges?" Neilder asked again. "These charges can't spawn out of nowhere you see, even if it's the 'witch hunt' you say it is."

"That's just it Neilder," Finé said. "Izetta has been by my side for a long time. Time has not been an obstacle too big for us to cross. I just… I just don't see how anyone could accuse Izetta of such things…"

"Hmm…" Neilder thought about it. If Finé only saw Izetta as a white light in a black-and-white morality, this could prove problematic using her as a sole witness. "Do you have anyone else who maybe able to shed light into this?"

"Yes, my bodyguard Bianca-"

"That's not from Elystadt?" Neilder clarified.

"Umm…" Finé thought about it. "Lord Redford, I'm sure he could help!"

"Okay," Neilder said, "Anyone else?"

"That American ambassador that was with us, Kennedy…"

"The American ambassador to Britain resigned three months ago in November…" Neilder responded. That ambassador was a mess to American politics since the Battle of Britain started.

"What? Can't we call him back for a testimony?" Finé asked.

"I'm not sure you'd want him as a witness though," Neilde said to Finé.

"What do you mean?"

"His denouncement of the Prime Minister's policies and against United States involvement in the war has, well, left a bad taste among the British politicians. He's also rather inconsistent in his political beliefs for himself and the United States. You'd best not get him involved. Besides, after what he said about the witch, it'd be a court suicide."

"Wait a second," Finé paused Neilder. "What do you mean 'what he said about Izetta'?"

Neilder looked at Finé rather curiously. "You never heard?" Finé simply shook her head. "Well, he sent a letter regarding United States involvement against Germany… and also against Elystadt, you especially because of the witches' power."

Finé could only take the words with silence.

"He advocated for the removal of Germany and Elystadt to ensure the safety of United States from a power too great from themselves."

Finé took some time to recollect her thought. Something deep inside her was wounded, a stab of betrayal. "I-I thought you said he was for United States neutrality?" Finé softy spoke out.

"Like I said, inconsistent," Neilder said to the stunned Finé. "There aren't any American ambassadors for Britain at this time, so they're out of the picture for the time being except for the Lend-Lease program that's been going on."

Finé was still absent in her mind as she wrapped her head around the scenario.

"Do you wish to continue today?" Neilder asked the Archduchess. She only looked back with a blank expression.

"No, I think I'm done…" Finé said as she got up.

"I'll meet with your friend sometime next month, and I'll get back to you when I need more information."

Finé seemed to not hear Neilder as she walked out his office. Neilder breathed out a bit now that he's out of that somber situation.

* * *

When the Archduchess came out of the office looking like she was struck by lightning, Bianca quickly ran to her side. "Are you alright, Archduchess?"

Finé's eyes no longer looked as young or fresh as it was a few hours ago. She looked into Bianca and felt something swelling inside her. Bianca looked into her eyes and saw small puddles forming. She took out a handkerchief and helped the Archduchess wipe away the tears that were pooling up.

"Everything's going to be fine, Archduchess," Bianca reassured her.

"Is it Bianca?" Finé asked her bodyguard if it really was.

"If there's anything, you can talk to me about it…" Bianca kept asking herself questions on what would others do in this scenario. "I'm not Sieg, but I can always help…"

Bianca guided Finé towards a bench in the hall. Sitting down, she let Finé take her time to absorb the world around her. Her eyes kept changing focus, as if searching for something that wasn't there.

"What if Izetta doesn't make it out of this?" Finé said so bluntly that it took Bianca by surprise.

"No… no, don't think like that," Bianca said.

"Bianca, I just heard that my attempts to get the United States to help us in the first place was for nothing," Finé said, almost choking on her words. "They didn't want to help us in the end, they wanted to destroy us…"

Bianca heard those words with little to say. Her first thoughts were _How dare they waste the Archduchess time! How dare they!_ but now was not the time to act so rash. As Bianca struggled to say something, Finé broke into tears. Bianca consoled her for hours. Bystanders walking by had no idea that the two girls sitting on that bench used to be the royal staff of Elystadt.

* * *

 **February 1941**

Izetta ate off the metal plate passed through the little slot on the metal door for breakfast. It was all she had to face off the worst entity in the prison environment.

Boredom.

After conditions improved and the guards were surprisingly no longer as abusive as they once were, possibly due to the new luxuries provided from the care packages, many of the prisoners now found the new issue of boredom. As most of the inmates are convicted military personnel, they all know how to single out the "Drill Sergeant" to hate on for motivation, in the prison case it was the guards. The guards hate on the inmates, then the inmates hate on the guards, making a rather unhealthy prison lifestyle. With no one to incite such emotions now, the inmates are left only to the mercy of books, food, and exercise, and throwing a book across a room doesn't give the same excitement as provoking some hapless guard.

Izetta finished up her plate and placed it on the ground, the metallic material clanging a bit on the floor. She lied on her bed, using her hands as a makeshift pillow. She could hear the other men outside walking about as they head to their "free time" outside. A luxury she couldn't enjoy because according to the prison logs, she had been placed on "high security". It frustrated her to no end that she had to stay holed up in that dank room while everyone else could vent their boredom outside.

Minutes seemed to tick by as she laid on that bed. A small clock inside her going _tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick_.

That annoying noise had to go.

"Gah!" Izetta let out a frustrated cry as she reached for the closest thing to her, a book, and threw it across her room. The impact of the cover and the paper fluttering broke the silence.

It also blocked the sound of her metal prison door creaking open.

"Uhh, miss, you alright?" The man at the open door asked.

"Uh," Izetta recomposed herself as hastily as she could. "Yes! Yes! Yes, yes, I'm fine...yeah." She nodded her head throughout her positive claim of mental health integrity, embarrassed of the scene she put up. Upon looking at the guard, Izetta recognized it was the same blonde young man who gave her the box of goods a few weeks ago. Actually, Izetta recognized that it was the same man always standing guard in front of her cell. He didn't even look as old as Izetta first thought, maybe only a few years older than herself.

The man looked at Izetta funnily, then looked at the wall that Izetta threw the poor book at, then back to Izetta. "You've got a visit from an attorney here to represent you. If you would follow me…" The man gestured for her to follow.

And so Izetta did, anything to get out of the isolated cell. Upon reaching the doors, she was cuffed and a few other guards were present. "Security reasons," the man said to Izetta, as if sympathizing with her scenario.

Izetta sighed as she was just shuffled along between guards with guns. That young man in charge of her cell stayed behind.

Despite being its residence for a whole month, Izetta still didn't know the architecture and design of the place. Moving out and about in the prison was already a rather enlightening experience than sitting in the cell scratching the walls for the days she spent inside.

Twists and turns along the path had Izetta and the guards end up at a rather fancy part of the prison. The door they stopped at was reinforced wood with a glass panel. Inside, a man in a formal military uniform, much finer than anything the guards were seen wearing in the prison, was sitting down on a table side. On top of a table was a kettle, surprisingly.

The guards opened the door and showed Izetta in, the man inside stood up as she entered. "Good morning, Izetta. I'm Lieutenant Jean Neilder, your defense attorney for your case in court." He said this while extending an arm with an open hand.

"H-hello," Izetta mustered up words. She hadn't had a quality conversation for a while. She looked at the hand and almost forgot that she was suppose to shake it. "Sorry, you're Jean…?"

"Neilder," the attorney said as he sat back down. Izetta hadn't noticed it until now, but next to the kettle were two cups. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Neilder asked the nervous Izetta.

"Y-yes please…" Izetta said, the idea of a hot drink sent her mind into bliss as Neilder poured her a small cup.

The cup, hot as it was, steamed strongly as the water droplets rose into the air. The scent of the tea-infused leaves fluttered her nose as she touched the warm ceramic cup.

"Now about your situation…" Neilder began as he explained Izetta's situation with the court and the law. He explained to Izetta the charges laid out on her as well as the possibility of life in prison if those charges prove true. However, he omitted any mention of the capital punishment. Poor girl is already going through a lot as is.

Still Izetta was shocked by the charges leveled at her. "That's horrible…" Was all she could say about it. "What can I do about it?" Izetta asked Neilder.

"First of all, I need your cooperation," Neilder said foremostly. "Your friend, the Archduchess of Elystadt, had provided me a lot of information regarding your background before I met you today."

"The Archduchess… is helping me?" Izetta felt something beam inside her.

"Yes, she's been very cooperative with the situation." Neilder said. "Actually, she was the one who made sure that I'm there to represent you in the court-martial."

Izetta slumped a bit on her chair. _The Archduchess is doing all this, for me?_ Izetta smiled, an expression absent long enough that she could feel the muscles in her face moving to make that common human expression.

Neilder noticed the change in Izetta's demeanor and was glad to see that. "Now then, I'm going to need your story on the build-up to this case, if you don't mind."

Izetta returned from her thoughts as she heard Neilder's voice. "Uh, yes. Umm… where do I start?"

"How about this," Neilder said. "Within the last few years, what have you done between Elystadt, Germany, and Britain?"

"Ah… this might take a while…" Izetta said bashfully, "it's a long story."

* * *

Finé laid on her bed, exhausted from her busy day representing Elystadt in the Allied powers. She's met many other countries that had fallen to her situation before her. Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Luxemburg, New Netherland, Norway, and Poland were all present as government-in-exiles due to the German occupations. To imagine only a few months ago, Finé was standing in front of them with Izetta, claiming that the "White Witch of Elystadt" would drive the Germans back and help the war effort. Now she was among them, leaders with only titles as their authority.

All she could do was advocate Elystadt's say in the issues, but it's no surprise that Britain is currently wielding the most say in the decisions of the war. Her age and her country's position had given her little bargaining power over the other's, all she had was her own loud voice and assertions. She kept Izetta out of the affair, knowing that bringing her up now would be harmful not only to Izetta, but to her own cause after learning just how much the other countries thought of her friend.

As the bombings continue in London, the conflict overseas has been dodgy. The British and their allies were able to push the Italians away from Libya in Operation Compass. The victory was sweet, but then Germany announced that a new army was to be sent to North Africa. Their presence will be a challenge to the Allied forces present, and no one is certain they have the power to fight back a German army at this time after series of defeats after defeats against them.

She rolled about on her bed, the bed was soft and comfortable for anyone. The bedroom was also large, the layout of her residence was almost like a penthouse. Very spacious and manageable for her as well as the staff that came along with her when they left Elystadt. Finé absorbed her condition, then remembered Izetta's cell back at the glasshouse and can't help but feel guilty.

The door to her room opened. Finé propped her head high enough to see who it was. A petite girl in a maid outfit waltzed in with a tray of tea time snacks. "Lotte…" Finé said aloud her name.

Lotte looked at the Archduchess, heeding any call she might make. In a span of a few months, Lotte has grown quite considerably. She was much taller than when she was back in Elystadt, and had outgrown her first maid outfit already. "Is there something the matter, Archduchess?" She asked sweetly.

Her optimistic voice stirred Finé. The Archduchess got up and sat on the bed over the edge, and looked at the girl in front of her. "Lotte, do you think Izetta will be alright?" Finé asked her.

Lotte looked back at Finé with a confused look, before she beamed with a smile. "Yes, I'm sure Lady Izetta will!"

"How can you tell?" Finé asked Lotte. "How do you feel like it will be okay?"

"Well…" Lotte thought about it for some time. "If Lady Izetta goes, knowing that you'll stand by her back no matter what. I'm sure she'll be okay no matter what."

Finé read the response in her mind. It wasn't the kind of answer she was hoping for, but… it was the truth. Finé chuckled softly, sometimes the kids are the most open-minded. "Thanks Lotte." Finé said as she got up from the bed. Brushing her hair with her arms away from her face. Lotte replied with the brightest smile she could muster.

The snacks placed on the table looked appetizing, but Finé steeled herself. There were still lots of work to do for her country and people.

* * *

Izetta, back in cuffs, was escorted back to her cell. However, her hope had been renewed. Jean Neilder was such a helpful man. If anyone can help her get out, it was him and the Archduchess.

She was in a familiar hallway as she backtracked the path back towards her cell. As she walked deeper into the prison interior, she just sighed with returned resignation to her situation. One more turn and she recognized the hall that her cell was at.

What was curious was the guard standing in front of the cell, the same man. He was reading a book, though he stopped as Izetta approached and he unlocked the cell door.

The guards stopped in front of the cell and undid Izetta's binds. Izetta rubbed the areas the cold metal of the cuffs. The metallic door creaked its hinges as it opened and Izetta looked inside the glum cell she had been a familiar resident in. Right before she entered, the man who stood in front of her cell put the book in front of her, to her and the other guard's confusion.

"What are you doing, man?" One of them asked.

"It's her book," the man replied. Izetta stared at the battered book with a strange look. As she reached in for it, one of the guards took it quickly.

"Just a second," he said as he turned it upside down and rapididly flipped the pages, looking for contraband or any sort. A quick second of _flipflipflip_ and the guard, somewhat satisfied, returned the book. Izetta took it nervously and looked at it as she was hustled into the cell. Indeed, it was a book she received in the mail, one with a purple cover and cursive words for a title. She examined as the door behind her clanged shut with authority, flinching to the sudden noise. As the guards outside converse before separating, she just stared at the cover.

 _This was a book the Archduchess sent to me…_ Izetta thought as she looked at it.

"That girl sending you these things has good taste," someone said outside.

Izetta looked back and through the metal door window to see who. No one was looking in. "Uh, hello?" Izetta said aloud. Was she going crazy?

Something moved at her right and she saw the young guard that stood in front of her cell most of the time now. "I said that girl sending you the books has good taste in literature." He said clearly, "Shakespeare, huh? Not many people appreciate that old literature."

Izetta heard those words and look at the book she's holding. Indeed, the author on the cover said the eponymous author "Shakespeare" on it.

"Is he a famous author?" Izetta asked the man.

"Yes, he wrote a lot of stories in the 16th century." The man said outside, "like that book you have, _Romeo and Juliet_."

Izetta looked at the cover once more and saw that title penned out in cursive. "It's a bit hard to read though…"

"Its an early form of the English language, I wouldn't blame you." The guard said as Izetta took a renewed interest in the piece of literature she was holding.

 _A famous story?_ She thought as she weighed the book in her hand. She never put much thought into it after reading the first few pages, but now…

"Uh, hey, miss?" The guard called for Izetta.

"Yes?" Izetta said, still leaning on the metal door to converse. She had been enjoying the small talk she's been getting today.

"I didn't say anything because I'm afraid I was wrong, but…" the young man hesitated. "You're the White Witch of Elystadt, aren't you?"

Izetta hasn't heard that title from someone else for a long time. For a second, Izetta almost wanted to say that he's got the wrong person. A girl like her can't possibly be that shining beacon of hope she once was months ago. She was but a fifteen-year old girl stuck in a military prison. Not to mention that title has brought nothing but pain within the last few months, leading up to her situation right now.

But she mustered any last pride she had for the sentence. "Yes, that's me."

The guard turned and looked directly into Izetta's face. She saw his eyes no longer having and apprehension or alertness, but admiration. "Holy shit, so it really is you."

"You didn't know?" Izetta asked. Surely a guard posted on her cell must've known who she was, right?

"No, my commander only assigned me to 'that girl in the cell' since I got here. I only transferred here last month." The young man said, as each word made his face look even more youthful. "I actually only joined his Majesty's service about... about five months ago, I'm one of the young boys around here. Served some time in military police before I asked for a position in the provost. Safer from the front-lines, y'know?" He said as if trying to justify his decision. "After completing my training at the MCTC, I got assigned here. My first assignment and duty since then is your cell."

Izetta looked at him, as if a shade of mysticism had broken between the two. "So how old are you?" Izetta asked.

The man looked at her sheepishly, "Don't tell anyone, okay? I tell people I'm eighteen when I enlisted, but I'm really only seventeen now. Gonna turn eighteen in a few months though. What about you?"

Izetta recalled her age and spelled out the numbers, "Fifteen."

The boy was taken ashock by her numbers as he tried to recover, "Wow, uh…" he stammered as he searched to rebuild the conversation. "You have it rough, huh?"

"Yeah…" Izetta admitted, nodding lightly as the gravity of her situation hit the boy like an anvil.

An awkward silence spawned in between the two. Izetta, the fifteen-year old witch of Elystadt is trapped in a cell while the seventeen-year old boy stood outside guarding the witch. Izetta felt her hands playing with the corners of the book she still held.

"Y'know…" the boy suddenly started again. "I heard about you from my cousin."

"Hmm?" Izetta was drawn back in.

"Yeah, my cousin, he's in the Royal Air Force y'know?" the boy said. "He joined as early as they formed if I remember. He got to fly big airplanes of all sorts, those that drop off people and those that drop bombs y'know?"

"That must be fun," Izetta tried to react to the boy's story.

"But, when he came to visit my family during his leave, he mentioned a peculiar moment to me when I asked him for some of those grand ol' war stories. Y'know, the kind you'd ask your pappies about the Great War," the boy was riding along a wave of enthusiasm. "So he sat me down on a table and told me of a time he had to attack a German ship with a flying girl."

Izetta eyed the boy funnily. Any other person he'd talk to about this, they'd say his cousin was a cuckoo.

"I thought my cousin has gone cuckoo at that moment, y'know?" He continued to Izetta. "Me and my brothers and sisters, we'd be like "jolly good" and went back to our own things after that. I was interested, but there just wasn't anything much about you at the time, y'know?"

Izetta nodded as she urged the boy to continue on.

"Then your face just started getting plastered everywhere from posters to movies. 'The White Witch of Elystadt' they kept calling you. 'You were the symbol of hope in Europe' they said."

Izetta felt gratified, but felt they were plastering so many embarrassing titles over her head. She felt blood flowing into her head as she's reminded of what they had done to her image at that day.

"My brothers and sisters y'know, they just said that you were just another propaganda piece his Majesty and his staff is using. Kind of like the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' poster they're using now y'know? Just a story to keep the heart and mind up."

He kept talking and talking, making a story that drew Izetta in more. She's never heard a person's opinion of her outside of Elystadt, so this guard's point of view had been enlightening to her.

"Then there was your defeat back in October…" he then said, killing the jovial mood he had established. "That too was plastered all over by the Nazis."

"Oh…" Izetta remembered that as vividly as yesterday. It was such a defeat to Elystadt that without her, the whole country fell too easily to the German mights and…

"And then Germany started bombing our arses at home," the boy continued. They come at us with Heinkel, Junkers, Messerschmitt, all sorts of things in the Luftwaffe that my cousin told me about… but I don't think my cousin expected the type of bombs they used… that was the moment I started believing in the witches, Izetta… y'know?"

"What do you mean?" Izetta asked.

"Well, the Krauts… they came at us with these… seeking bombs that hit exactly where they wanted to hit, y'know? These things came with a red streak and hit where they wanted to, things no one ever seen before…" The boy recalled, now with a tone of sorrow. "Then I saw her…"

"...her?" Izetta asked.

"A girl, high in the skies, riding on staff that glowed… with fingers directing each one of those seeking bombs to their target…"

 _Sophie…_ Izetta knew that sight. It was an unforgettable one after she fell from the sky to the cold ground below, while watching that girl float in the land devoid of ley lines…

"The 'White Witch', they called her…" The boy finished. "She killed one of my brothers in November…"

Izetta had no words as she could see the boy pained by the recollection. "I-I'm sorry…" Izetta said, a guilt wave swam over her as she looked back at what's she's done. _If only I could've stopped her back then…_

But the boy smiled again, "It isn't your fault. Don't hold it against yourself too hard." Izetta tried hard to think like that, but she couldn't lift such a heavy feeling off her. "If anything, I was shown the witches' powers first hand. A lot of people did. Those who could see would now know that the witches are real. They aren't just a propaganda the ministry dreamed up out of the blue."

Izetta wondered how such a situation can turn out for her now with that connection.

"You can still be a symbol of hope, Izetta," the boy finished.

Hope, such a word that speaks volume. How Izetta be a symbol of hope after all this? She's let down the Archduchess at Elystadt, let down the people of Britain with Sophie, and now… she was just rotting away in a prison. How can this be the "hope" that people want?

"I don't know who'd want me anymore…" Izetta said, "Everyone I've tried to help ends up getting torn down…"

"Well, I'm still hopeful," the boy said. "and I'm still here fine right now, y'know?"

Izetta looked at the boy and he stared back, still with an eye of admiration at the girl.

He chuckled, "After all this and I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Nathan, Corporal Nathan Spencer. My siblings call me 'Nate' though."

"Nathan…" Izetta repeated the name. Nathan…, Izetta tried to reply. "I'm Izetta…" she said to fill in the blank space left in the atmosphere.

Nathan looked at her as if he expected her to finish, "No last name?"

Izetta looked at him like that idea was completely foreign to the two of them. "Y-yeah… nothing…"

"Well one of these days, we'll find a good one for you, okay? Soon as you get out of here," Nathan said.

"Y-yeah…" Izetta said. The idea of getting out of this hold now became more savory than ever.

"By the way, _Romeo and Juliet_?" Nathan gestured to the book Izetta had been mind-absently carrying this whole time. "I know the gist of it. If you got any questions, feel free to ask me about it, alright? It gets boring around here."

Izetta stared her book that the Archduchess had given her. She had forgotten about it with the conversation Nathan had struck up with her. However, the best stories she's read within these months were not written, but spoken. "I will. Thanks… Nathan."

Nathan smiled back as he returned to his post on the right side of her metal cell door. Izetta returned to the depths of her cell, clutching the book in her hands. The paper had gotten soft from the perspiration on her hands when she gripped it tightly.

Never before had an ordinary book seem that interesting to Izetta. She looked at it for a moment before opening it to the first page, reading the text that laid out before her.

* * *

 **I don't claim to be an expert on law, prison environment, and Shakespeare.**

 **Well, that's another chapter to this finé fic! It's a long wait between chapters, but for those unaware, I'm actually writing two fanfics at the moment. I realized too late that this will severely mess up a schedule for one of them, but I made my entry and I'm committed to at least finishing it up to a conclusion. Another reason why this is taking a bit longer than my other is priority and also I have to do quite an amount of research into the events that will transpire during the story. Right now I'm in 1941 and things still aren't looking too good for the Allies, especially with the Blitz and y'know what in June 22, 1941. Then there's the information essential to the story, researching law and all that stuff is not easy.**

 **But if anyone out there is an expert in British WW2 law and court-martials, feel free to hit me up on mistakes I've made (though chances are I will still take artistic license to make the story flow well). There's a surprisingly lack of material for this kind of stuff, even for manuals. Maybe I'm not looking at the right places, so I'm working with what I've got. Hope that's good enough for a good read though!**

 **And the American Ambassador going by Stanley in the anime is apparently supposed to be Joseph P. Kennedy, US ambassador to Britain from 1938 to 1940.**

 **Thanks for reading the story up this far though! If you are interesting with what I've got in store for Izetta and co., don't be afraid to Follow and Favorite the story! I look forwards to seeing all you fine readers in the next chapter!**

 **Edit: Made big corrections on the posting of Jean Neilder and Nathan Spencer, who in the previous edits were both Military Police. I thought Military Police handled all law-relevant issues. Turns out that attorneys would come from the Military Department of the Office of the Judge Advocate General while the prison guards came from the Military Provost Staff Corps.**


	7. Change of Plans

_**Izetta: Fall From Grace**_

 **Chapter 6: Change of Plans**

 **11 May 1941**

The metal door creaked open in its usual melody. Izetta stirred from the cell's bed upon the signal.

"Izetta?" A tender voice said as the light shined down into the cell.

Everytime she visits, Izetta always had a hard time believing it was actually her. "Archduchess!" Izetta cried, jumping up wanting to hug her tightly, but she restrained herself.

Finé smiled, "Hello Izetta, how are you?" Her face bringing a new brightness inside the cell. She had a few bags on her, holding various of contents for her friend.

"Oh, uh… good!" Izetta flustered. She never seem to get in control of herself with the Archduchess around, especially in these visits of short-notice. Izetta sat up on her bed, putting the book she was reading down under the bed, alongside all the other books she's finished and haven't given away yet. Her long hair swung around as she got up, the strands whipped around her face. She staggered as she tried to keep them under control.

"Your hair has grown very long, Izetta…" Finé almost snickered at Izetta's clumsiness.

"Y-yeah… it is," Izetta twirled her finger on a bunch. Izetta eyed at Finé's hair going all the way to her waist; while beautiful, she just couldn't see herself dealing with all that. "Not really sure if I want to keep it this way…"

"I can get it cut if you want," Finé said as she sat by Izetta's side on the lonesome bed.

"Oh n-no! You don't have to!"

"Don't worry Izetta, I have the whole day with you today so you don't have to worry about wasting my time," Finé donned her irresistible smile again as she reached into a paper bag she brought along with her. "Now, I brought along some pastries straight from the bakery. Would you like some?"

A gnawing thought remained in Izetta to not trouble the Archduchess. She surely must be busy trying to put up Elystadt's place in the Allies against Germany.

However, _those pastries do look delicious…_ And so Izetta relented.

The accommodation of the cell must've been embarrassing in comparison to anywhere else in the prison they could've met in, but Finé stayed with Izetta inside the cell. Finé opened a paper bag towards Izetta and she looked inside. The first that knocked her was the smell of freshly baked goods.

"Wow, how did you get this?" Izetta stared inside with a renewed appetite.

"Pooling all the necessary ingredients from our rations made it possible for the bakers," Finé beamed up.

Izetta stared in, wanting to ask if it's alright, but the food overruled and she daintily grabbed into the bag for a piece. Warm in her hand, she chomped onto it like a kid and chocolate.

"So how has everyone been treating you?" Finé jumped to her friend's well being as she was chewing.

"It's better than a few months ago," Izetta said, swallowing her piece. "They let me roam around the outdoor area some time now. Since I'm the only girl here, I get my own specific time outside and I'm always alone out there."

"Do you get lonely?"

"Not really, some of the guards are nice people! The one outside, Nathan, has been quite a gentleman ever since he was assigned to me."

"I see. I'm just afraid you might die from boredom here before we could even appeal in the courts," Finé joked, but it did bring up another point.

"Umm, Archduchess… about that…" Izetta wanted to ask, but she was partially afraid of the answer.

Finé looked at Izetta and chastised herself for bringing up such a topic. She should've just kept the topic at the current times and as positive as possible. Now that she's spilled it, she might as well continue. "The petition for the writ of Habeas Corpus was denied…"

Izetta took the news and simply nodded in acceptance. The war has changed everything, and so was the application of the law.

"But we'll send another one if we have to," Finé reassured her. "Someday they will realize you're not even a slightest threat to them!"

Izetta pondered on that claim as she recovered, then she asked, "But am I a threat to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and me, am I a burden to your cause? They want to keep me here because they know I'm dangerous, like Sophie and what she's doing against their people. They see you with me… they'll think you're sympathetic with the very same power that is devastating the cities."

"Oh no, no Izetta…" Finé placed her hands on Izetta's shoulders. "Don't say that… I don't know what I would do without you. I'm going to get you out of here no matter what. I don't care what others think of me trying to get a troubled friend out of this situation. They just needs to see it in our perspective."

Izetta still felt she was putting more weight on Finé than was worth. She had a country to run, whereas Izetta was just a girl with an unnatural set of powers. Power she couldn't even use to escape this predicament. A power that has proven nothing but a burden than an escape. After all, despite being the "White Witch of Elystadt", Elystadt still fell.

"Here Izetta, another bread?"

Izetta looked back at Finé to see another baked bread in a soothing, caramel color to show the perfect time it spent inside the baking oven. A primal instinct kicked in and Izetta rather bashfully dug into the second piece.

Finé kept Izetta preoccupied. _The mind thinks with the stomach._ However, Finé was concerned about her mind's wellbeing. Has she become accepted to her position in the place? Izetta long stay in the "Glasshouse" with little response from the outside on changes to her situation has started to make her lethargic to changes.

A strategy that Finé was afraid is what the people keeping Izetta in here is following by. Something had to be done soon, and quick.

As Izetta consumed the third piece of pastry. Finé put that thought aside. She was here to keep Izetta's spirits up, not wallow long in the same pool that Izetta has been thrown into.

So Finé kept her smile up and bright as she reached into another bag, a cloth bag. "Now, do you want me to style up your hair? Maybe make it shorter?" Finé brought up a pair of scissors and comb.

"Ha? Since when could you do that?" Izetta looked at Finé bewildered.

"Don't worry about it, how hard could it be?" Finé said with a cheer. _Besides, your hair was always a mess, would anyone notice a foul-up?_

So Finé managed to grab a chair and drape Izetta in a nylon cape to catch the hair. Izetta nervously went along with Finé's antics, eyeing her bangs as if it was the last time she'd see it like that.

Still, Finé carefully snipped away at the low-hanging strands. Recalling from memory on Izetta's hairstyle, it only felt like yesterday that she carried Izetta out of that mountain fortress in Elystadt.

Everything felt so distant, yet so close…

The only sound that prattled about was the snip sound of the scissor cutting through Izetta's fine red hair, collected on a large mat underneath.

"Archduchess…"

"Yes, Izetta?" Finé answered.

"What's going on out there?"

"Out there?"

"The war, how is everyone doing?"

Finé thought back on her meetings with the other government-in-exiles and with Lord Redford. So much has happened within the last few months. With all these stacking up, Finé wondered just how long this war could last.

"Do you remember the British in Africa?" Finé spoke. Izetta slightly nodded her head as she recalled their presence during their escape. Finé continued moving her hands around her hair and the scissor, "The Germans sent an army there. The 'Afrika Korps', they called them. They drove the British out of Libya a few months ago."

Izetta did not know the locations of these names, but if they were losing them to the Germans, things did not look good. "How big is this 'Afrika Korps'?"

"I don't know Izetta…" Finé answered, but decided to add some sunshine to this update. "But it's not all bad! America has a new policy on sending aid to us. It made a lot of people relax a bit easier now."

Izetta thought about it and was still uneasy about the prospect. "If the British gets pushed back too far… do you think… they'll…"

"Hmm?"

"Nah… they probably don't want me up there…" Izetta conceded. "If they wanted me to help them out there, they would've reached for me months ago when this Afrika Korps got there."

"Oh Izetta…" Finé could see her friend's spirit just collapse. "I'm sure you will have a part in this again. The Germans still has the White Witch in their ranks, there is surely someplace where you can help us once again."

"You think so?"

"Yes!"

Izetta looked at the Archduchess, loose hair flew off as she turned her head. Her eyes could show a glimmer of hope, something Finé needed to support, else she crash down burning again.

"I promise you Izetta, I'm going to get you out of here, and you'll help us finish this god-awful war."

* * *

By evening, despite her status she was soon shooed out of the prison; so Finé found herself reluctantly leaving the Glasshouse back to her residence.

Outside, she looked at the whole building. The place was a mess when she first arrived in January, the donations she gave to this place did little to its exteriors, but the spirit was more jovial. Anything to make Izetta's stay any more comfortable than it could be.

At the road, a red-coated Austin 8 car waited with Bianca waiting by the door, standing about as she smoked a cigarette. When she saw the Archduchess coming, she immediately snuffed out her smoke and opened the passenger's door for her.

Bianca hurriedly got to the driver's seat as Finé just got comfortable. The car started with a rumble as the engine revved up. Finé looked at Bianca, her bodyguard has also changed a lot in the last few months here. The night by night bombing must've hit a nerve, it was very strange to see Bianca smoking.

"What is it?" Bianca noted her Archduchess' attention towards her.

"Nothing," Finé said with a small smile. So much was changing ever since they got here. Would any of it be able to go back to normal once the war was done? Finé decided to backtrack it and prioritized that for any idea of normalcy to happen afterwards, the Allies must win so she could reclaim Elystadt.

The drive back was still as long as usual, what with the prison being out of London for a good distance. With the sun still just setting, they were still safe from an immediate German air raid, which nowadays come only in the dead of night. However, they've recently appeared less and less over the days.

"How is Izetta?" Bianca asked during the middle of the drive.

"Hmm? Oh. She's holding up fine."

"Poor girl. I think I'd go mad if I have to stay in a place like that for so long."

"She's hanging on by a thread though… I won't let her stay in there like that for another day if I could help it!"

"I have faith that you can free her," Bianca said, trying her best to cheer up the Archduchess. Though Finé still remained in her own world on the subject. Bianca sighed, but she knew this matter was on a different league from her own. Her job was to protect the Archduchess.

As they entered into the city, Bianca scanned around for landmarks and other information deep in her head as she made the necessary turns to the destination. Memorization was key as the street signs were all removed, all in anticipation of a German invasion. A wrong turn could end up with a driver lost in the middle of the city and wasting precious fuel just to get back on track.

Bianca memorized the place just like her drill routines back home, and she perfectly made it in front of Finé's housing in the city.

"Archduchess, we're here," Bianca said formally, even if Finé was well aware of that.

They left the car parked as they walked into the building. There were undercover Imperial guards around the area, courtesy of Bianca, and only she and Finé could recognize who they were. They left them at their jobs as they walked upstairs towards the room, up near the top. Bianca jingled the keys as she unlocked the door and let Finé inside.

Entering the room, they encountered the familiar living room with extravagant design from the landowner's original room design. In the room was the familiar presence of Lotte. However, there was an unfamiliar man in a black suit, with brown hair that covered his face as he turned around. His bold face and jovial tone was oh-so familiar however.

"Lord Redford?" Finé expressed in surprise.

"Archduchess! Please excuse my intrusion." The man said as he set down a cup of tea from a tea set brewed up on a table.

"Oh, please, excuse me. I wasn't expecting anyone. Did you wait long?"

"No, please don't worry about that. I only arrived a few moments ago and your handmaid has been keeping me company this whole time so don't mind me."

"I see," Finé said as she sat on a chair quite opposite from Lord Redford. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I thought I'd let you know since there wasn't a conference for the the exiled governments."

"What conference?" Finé asked. _Did something happened?_

"We were just briefed moments earlier that, well, Germany had attempted to start peace negotiations with us."

"What?" Finé shooked. _What was this about?_

"Last night, a German negotiator who identified himself as Alfred Horn flew in on his own to Scotland in an attempt to start peace talks with us. We captured him after his landing and he's been talking nonstop about an offer for a non-aggression pact between Britain and Germany."

This was a very strange move indeed if it was a decision from the German government. A peace offering! But… "And what is the government planning to do about this?"

"What do you think they're going to do? Of course we turned down the offer," Lord Redford said, almost ready to laugh it off. Finé couldn't help but find some relief and find herself almost chuckling. _At least my faith in this alliance is rightly placed…_

"But, you do have to take into consideration on why this happened," Lord Redford said.

"Yes…" Finé said as she did think deeply about this situation. The only reason why there'd be any form of peace offering from Germany at this stage is that they've grown tired of fighting Britain. The day-by-day, night-by-night bombing have been slowly disappearing from the daily routine of the London citizens. Now they want to create a stand-off just like they did with the Russians to focus on other matters. "So… we're about to be able to rest easy at night soon enough, is that right?"

"That's right," Lord Redford said. "But, I think these next few months might be your most important one for your witch friend."

"Hmm? What do you mea-" Then it hit her. The main reason, the official reason, that Izetta's trial date has been constantly delayed and moved was because of the risk of the German's bombing campaign. If the bombing was going to stop, that meant that they would soon have to move on to prosecute Izetta on her charges.

This was her opportunity to prove her innocence and free her. Yes…

Lord Redford watched Finé descend into a thought race as she realized the opportunities and path now set for them. For the British citizen, it may soon be a time to relax, for the Elystadians, it was a moment for redemption in the eyes of the British military.

Finished with his message however, Lord Redford took one more sip from the tea cup before getting up. "Tomorrow is another busy day for us all so I will take my leave for tonight." He walked towards the coat hangar for his black overcoat. "Don't let this get too hard on you, Archduchess Finé. Lieutenant Neilder is Izetta's attorney, he'll work hard to get her free and back into your hands."

"Yes…" Finé responded, before getting up and walking Lord Redford to the door. "Thank you for stopping by."

"The pleasure is mine. I hope for you the best of luck. See you tomorrow," Lord Redford said as he left the housing and closed the door. Finé's legs nearly buckled as Lord Redford left.

"Archduchess!" Lotte was closest as she supported Finé's stance.

"Sorry!" Finé realized her troubling as she reoriented herself. "That was… uh, a lot to take in."

"We'll be able to see Izetta soon enough?" Lotte remained her cheerful self as she stretched a smile across her face.

"I hope so…" Finé said, though her emotions gnawed on her heart as she thought about the uncertain future.

* * *

 **19 May 1941**

"Hey, uh, Izetta, are you crying?" Nathan asked a rather dumb question as he heard sniffling from inside the cell.

Izetta inside, a book in her left hand as she cuddled against the mass of her blanket in the cell, and her right hand viciously trying to control her tears. She composed herself slowly and recovered, though her sniffling remained. "Sorry… it's just…"

"What book is that?" Nathan asked.

Izetta looked at the cover, "Of Mice and Men…"

"Ah," Nathan said as it clicked to him. "Yeah… that scene is rather…"

"He just wanted his rabbits…" Izetta muttered. "Everything went downhill so fast…"

Nathan didn't really know what to say to the broken girl. "Not everyone could have happy endings I guess…" He continued his silence as Izetta's emotions softened up overtime.

"Do you think you'll have a happy ending?" Izetta asked Nathan.

"Of course," Nathan responded. "Who wouldn't?"

"What about me? You think I'm going to have a happy ending?" Izetta asked Nathan.

"Yes, you too. You'll get out here and you'll be able to live how you please. Just imagine growing old together with the one you love."

"The one I-" Izetta muttered out before silence returned. Perhaps that was too much emotion happening in one day.

Today's not a good day to be going through all that too…

However, Nathan saw the two Provost soldiers walking down the hall. He knew what they were here for and stood at attention as they arrive. Nathan saluted the two, them being higher ranked than him, and they returned the salute. As Nathan returned to his stance, he already knew what they were here for and grabbed the keys for Izetta's cell. The metal door creaked harmonically as the light broke in once again. Izetta looked up from his bundle of blanket and saw the two provost member enter, the one in front procuring a handcuff.

"Miss," they referred towards Izetta. "It's time."


End file.
